


Royal Promiscuity

by Frankinscense



Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe - Medieval, Attempted Murder, F/F, F/M, I tried to put down only people that actually appear, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Kidnapping, M/M, More royalty than you could shake a stick at, Swearing, Theres a ton of people guys, Violence, Wounds
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-12-12
Updated: 2012-12-12
Packaged: 2018-03-23 14:08:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 32
Words: 72,306
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3771124
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Frankinscense/pseuds/Frankinscense
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Mathias has just been given the most important job of his life, personal guard and knight for the 'Heartless' Prince Nikolas of Norway. His job is to watch over the prince at all times, to protect him, especially on this trip to meet his future bride where so many things seem to be going wrong. Someone keeps trying to kill Nikolas and these weird feelings developing in the pit of Mathias's stomach.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Knight and Friend

**Author's Note:**

> Denmark-Mathias Kohler, Norway-Nikolas Bondevik, France-Francis Bonnefoy, Canada-Matthew Williams, Prussia-Gilbert Beilshmidt, America- Alfred Jones, Germany-Ludwig Bielshmidt, England-Arthur Kirkland, N. Italy- Feliciano Vargas, Japan- Kiku Honda, Finland-Tino Vainamoinen, Sweden-Berwald Oxenstierna, Poland-Feliks Lukasiewicz, Belgium-Emma, Hungary-Elizaveta Herdevary, Hong Kong- Kaoru Wang, Iceland-Erik Bondevik. Please let me know if I forgot anyone and I will add them in.

"Sir Kohler, do you understand the gravity of this situation?"

"Yes, your majesty. No harm will come to the prince while he is under my protection." The knight was down on one knee, the throne meters away with the harsh king sitting upon it, regarding the young knight with a severe look.

"Would you swear this on your life?"

"I would swear it on all I hold dear." The blond kept his head down, remembering the unforgiving stare from earlier as he had entered the lavish throne room.

"Very good. You may tell the prince Nikolas that your journey will be underway presently."

The knight stood and bowed once more to the king before walking swiftly out and to the young prince's chambers. He had heard much about the prince in his short time in the castle and even more while traveling through the vast kingdom to find the castle. He had heard rumors that said the prince was heartless, that he had no emotion. But he didn't believe in such things. Everybody has emotions, even if you don't always show them.

The adventurer knocked on the prince's chamber door, trying to imagine what the man would look like. With his father's looks as a base, he could say that the prince would probably be blond, maybe blue eyes, tall, muscular.

Nikolas heard the knock, and stormy eyes flew to the door. "Enter." His voice carried just enough to reach the other side of the door.

An armored man came into the room, his blonde hair sticking nearly straight up. "Your highness, your father, the king, has instructed me to inform you that your journey is to be underway when you are prepared."

Nikolas gave the man a once-over, scrutinizing his every move. The man's tone was formal. He hated that. But the man in front of him wasn't a messenger. Why would his father send one of the castle knights to give him a message? Nikolas pondered a moment, unknowingly glaring at the man in front of him. Wait, this man wasn't one of the castle knights. He had seen them all from his window, not bothering to train with them with his small frame, thin figure, and soft features; he really wasn't suited to be a fighter. He was a prince, though, and didn't really need to do such things. He had people to fight for him.

The man was still standing there, and it hit Nikolas that he was waiting for a response of some sort. It surprised him a little. No one stayed to listen to what he had to say. They would just tell him what to do and leave. "I am ready now." He stood and made his way over to the door, realizing just how much taller the other was to him. And just how much broader. And how much more muscular. Damn.

Sir Kohler nodded and bowed low to him. "Of course, your highness, we will depart immediately then. If you will follow me." He gestured for Nikolas to do so and the prince nodded, walking alongside the taller man.

The knight led him to the carriage, silent, as was expected of him. The coachmen opened the door for the royal son, and the bulky blond held out a hand to help him into the plush interior. The Dane hopped up to the spot where the driver sat, and they began their way down the road. Nikolas could see the two men up front through a small window near his head. He could see their backs. One was plain with slightly baggy wooly fabric covering it, while the other had soft taut fabric; he could easily see the defined planes in the muscles of the latter's back.

"I assume that you are the guard my father has assigned for this trip?" There was no other reason that he would come along.

"I am, your highness." The blond turned to look at the prince within the depths of the coach.

"What am I to call you?"

"You may call me whatever you wish, but my name is Mathias Kohler." He paused. "There is a point where we must separate from the path. Would you prefer to take the longer or shorter route?"

Nikolas smiled a tiny bit; his opinion was being asked for. That was a nice change. "The long way should be fine. There is no rush."

Mathias nodded and remembered the thing he wanted to ask. "May I make an inquiry, your highness?"

Why was this man still talking? "You may." The others who had taken Nikolas places had never spoken more than a couple words, and this man might have been trying to start up conversation. It wasn't normal.

"Who are you visiting? His majesty, the king, was unable to inform me as to the nature of your visit."

"A potential wife." That was surprising; the prince seemed quite young, unless the king was ill or knew that he was not going to be fit to rule much longer.

Nikolas sighed softly, annoyed with the way his father approached this area of his life. "If it is not to bold, you seem," he searched for the polite way of saying it, " _displeased_  by the situation."

"I am, but it is my duty, so I shall do as told."

Mathias nodded, silently agreeing. "We must all do our duty."

It was an odd feeling for Nik, but they traveled in companionable silence for a long while, occasionally bringing up conversation and even being joined by the apparently cheery driver.

But it wasn't more than four hours since their departure when the carriage went over a bump and – crack! –

Mathias hopped off the seat and immediately pulled open the door. "Your highness, are you alright?"

The prince nodded, picking himself up from the floor from where he fell. "Yes, I'm fine."

"I'm afraid we may have to continue on horseback and send for repairs." He held out a hand and helped the prince down from the tilted room. The wheel was broken. That was incredibly obvious.

Nikolas nodded a little and the knight turned to the driver. "Can you send the message and get the repairs done? The prince and I will go on ahead."

"Sure, son. Make sure to grab things enough for your trip." Mathias bobbed his head in agreement.

"Which of your packs contains clothes you may use for possibly the next few days?" Nikolas just pointed. It was enough for the Dane to pick out that one and gather the other bags needed, then unhitch three of the horses from the carriage and start packing their necessities. "Will you be alright?"

The driver smiled and nodded a little. "Of course!"

Nikolas walked over to the first horse, stroked its nose softly, then hopped up on his own just as the knight was going to ask him if he wanted help. Mat grinned and climbed onto his own horse, waving at the driver before following after the already departing prince.

Mathias wasn't always this professional; he was young, after all, but he didn't want to make a bad impression on the prince. Especially since he was the one guard that was supposed to be around him all the time. He kept quiet, knowing the rumors about Prince Nikolas' temper when it came to unnecessary talking. According to another knight, one of the cockier soldiers had gone up to him and started chattering away about how he was going to surpass all others, including the prince himself, one day.

The soldier had found himself being thrown out the window. Luckily it was only the first floor… or, at least, that was what he had heard.

"You have permission to speak freely." Wow. He had a nice voice, not too light and airy, but not too deep and rough either. It was a nice middle ground.

Back to focus, Mat! "Huh? Oh. Thank you, your highness." Nikolas merely nodded. "Do you know your possible bride?"

"No. It is simply someone my father wishes me to meet should he choose her." He didn't know the girl, nor did he intend to get to know her. This wasn't a love match, it was purely politics.

"You are the proper age, I suppose." Though Mat had grown up in a place of matches that were both politically valued  _and_  for love.

"I do not wish to speak of this any further."

"Of course, your highness, forgive my prying."

"You are forgiven." Nikolas stayed quiet a moment, deciding that he didn't want silence from his companion. It didn't suit him well. "Tell me about yourself."

That was unexpected. "What would you like to know?"

Nikolas shrugged. "Whatever comes to mind? Perhaps your family or childhood. I simply wish to distract myself."

"I have a brother named Berwald, and he is also a knight, though he stays with King Väinämöinen and his family. I was sent to your court a week ago, I believe for the purpose of this trip." He paused. "I do not know, sire, there are many things I could say, but there are also many things that it would be foolish to say."

Nikolas frowned at the 'sire' comment. He didn't like his titles much; there were far too many, and none of them had any real meaning behind them. "I understand. I am curious why my father would send out for a knight when we have so many within our own castle."

The Dane shrugged. "I am not sure myself; reputations do not often travel so far so quickly."

"Reputation?" Mat nodded a little. "And what exactly  _is_  that reputation?"

"It's not all that important, just a few defeats of mention." Mathias usually could brag all day about his achievements, but with someone of such high esteem it was probably better to refrain. "May I ask another question? It is not about coming events." Nikolas shrugged; he wouldn't answer if it was something he didn't want to anyway. "Are customs different here?"

"That would depend, I suppose."

"On?"

"Which custom you are speaking of in particular."

"Any you are aware of being different from other countries?"

"What I am allowed to do, for one." His tone wasn't exactly pleased with what he had said. "Unless under supervision and between certain times I am not to go outside or be near the water unless traveling. I am only allowed to read certain books. Most matters concerning my opinion are decided for me, so I am not usually allowed to speak freely. It's similar with my actions. It's not to say I have no freedom and my parents are unkind. They just want what's best."

That was certainly a surprise. "That only happens with princesses in my country."

"I know." Nikolas was very aware of that fact. But he was the sole heir to the kingdom, therefore there was more of a risk on letting him get into 'trouble'. He thought that Mathias was going to continue, but even though he opened his mouth to speak, he still stayed silent, closing it quickly.

The wind blowing through the trees, rustling leaves accompanied the huffs of breath from the horses and the soft bird calls around them. But still it was silent. To some.

Nikolas cocked his head to the side and immediately changed course to go find the source of the sudden noise. "Just keep up and you won't get lost," he called behind him, knowing the Dane would follow.

The indigo eyes widened in happiness at the sight of the river, hopping from his horse immediately and tying him quickly to the nearest tree. Mathias caught sight of what he was doing and laughed, following his example. Niko's boots were off in a matter of seconds and he was dipping his bare feet into the cool waters, sitting on the bank, eyes closed to fully enjoy the feel of the clear liquid dance around his toes. "I don't get to do this often enough."

He looked up at the knight, silently inviting him to join him. Mat shrugged, pulled off his clunky black boots, and sat next to him, waiting to see if Nikolas would continue. And he did.

"I can be near it... just not in it. Besides, it never feels the same when you're being rushed or watched with critical eyes."

"It's sad when no one bothers to actually see what a prince might think or actually do." Nikolas nodded a little, then went back to watching the river. "Hey." He nudged him gently. "Wanna go swimming?"

The prince hesitated slightly, then went to his bag, pulling out something to change into after he was done.

"Mind if I join you?"

"If you wish."

***Awesomely transitioning***

"If it is a single person, don't get off your horse. Let me dispatch him, and then we can continue on. If there are two or three, get off your horse and immediately stand behind me and to either side a few feet away. If it is a large group of five or more, turn around and ride away as fast as you can. I can take care of it, but I would not have you in such a venerable position."

Nikolas nodded a little. "I understand. There is no reason to make your job more difficult."

The Dane puffed out a breath of air. "Many of the people I have accompanied do not know the term 'self-preservation'."

"Do not get me wrong. I do not like the idea of leaving you behind, but I understand my position and the trouble it would cause should I be hurt."

"Thank you." He paused and thought to where their trip would lead. "I know you said that you did not want to talk about this earlier, but are there any specific reason why you would be averse to marrying the princess? Is it the love aspect that is missing?"

Nikolas shrugged. "There's that and the fact that it's something I would prefer to choose for myself. Besides..."

"Besides what?" He had the knight's curiosity peaked.

"I know I can never truly love her or any other woman."

Mathias cocked his head to the side slightly. "Are you planning on entering the priesthood?"

"No."

"I am confused."

"How so?"

"I am unsure of what you mean. What makes you so sure that you will never truly love a woman?"

"Because I feel little attraction to them."

"Then what does attract you?"

"Men."

…

…..

"Oh." Mat tried not to seem too surprised or confused. It wasn't like he hadn't seen examples of this kind of lifestyle before. Nikolas was not even the first prince he had heard of who chose such a lifestyle.

"I know I cannot follow that path, but it is the truth."

"Not many can."

Nikolas sensed what he thought was the beginnings of disgust. "It was foolish of me to even bring it up."

Danish locks moved back and forth as he shook his head. "No. You may tell me anything. I am here for you, you know. Does the king know?"

"No. It would bring shame upon him and our kingdom."

That confused Mat again. What could possibly be so bad about that? "Only for the fact that you would not produce an heir?"

"That is only one problem, the other being his blatant disallowance and dislike of the practice." His father was quite adamant that people like him weren't welcome. Anywhere.

Mat's easily expressive face showed his dislike of that statement. "So that's why." He rolled his eyes a little. "Though I guess Tino is happier with this." Nikolas looked over curiously and the knight caught it. "As much as I hate to admit it, my brother, Berwald is better than me in a few things related to being a knight, but he is currently courting the crown prince of our country, Tino. It is widely known. Now I know why Berwald was not chosen for this assignment."

Nikolas nodded curtly and turned back to the road. "Ah."

They returned to the quiet for only a minute or two before Mathias got curious. "What kind of men are you interested in? If it is not too bold to ask."

Nik looked over at him, half confused and half indignant. "Why does such a thing matter to you?"

"I'm not sure."

"Then don't let it concern you. I have said all I will."

***Awesomely transitioning***

"Can I be your friend?"

"I suppose." He paused. "I must ask what you seek to gain by being my friend. Is it the money? The prestige?"

Mathias shook his head. "Those are material reasons."

To Nikolas there was no wrong in that. "Yes."

"That's not friendship, though." He paused, studying the stormy eyes in front of him across the small campfire. "You don't have to have ulterior motives, you know."

Nik shrugged, his shadow flickering in the soft light. "It is almost always the case for me, though.

I'm a prince. I expect it." He looked up to lock gazes with the sea glass eyes. "So what's your reason?"

"You're nice." There was no trace of dishonesty in those eyes. "Do I need any other reason?" He kept his voice low. Quiet seemed unusual for the Dane, but somehow this seriousness could suit him if he tried.

He couldn't take those eyes, seeming to read his every thought, somehow able to sink into him with every second they stayed connected. Nikolas suddenly stood, needing away from those piercing eyes. "I think I'm going to go to sleep now."

Mathias nodded, watching the prince get into his tent. "Good night, your highness."

The bright sliver of moon shone high in the sky, moving into its highest spot of the night. Mat could feel it, reflecting off his armor, eyes closed, just listening to the night.

A rustle was heard, and blue eyes flew open. Whispers seemed to be flowing through the trees nearby, maybe three people total.

"Is this where that brat went?"

"Shut your gob! The guard might hear!"

"Both of you! Get down!"

Mathias didn't move a single muscle, watching the trio out of the corner of his eye, and when they attempted to hide, he stood as silently as one can when wearing as much metal as he was. "Who are you and who sent you?" He bent and picked up his two-headed battle axe, standing it up on its black hilt.

One of the trio hopped up. "We'll never tell!" Mathias's axe swung, nearly coming in contact with the two 'hidden' ruffians.

"Shhhhh." His grin could only be described as feral. "The prince is sleeping, you know." The thugs jumped back, falling over themselves with soft shouts of surprise. Maybe there was a reason the prince only had  _one_  guard. "It might be in your  _best_   _interest_  to tell me."

What seemed to be the youngest of them was closest to the blade, feeling it press against his neck with a threatening air. "I-I-I is just a knight! King Silovice sent us!"

"Why does king Silovice want to get rid of the prince?" The sharp edge dug further into the flesh of his throat, a red line forming.

"He didn't say! I swear I'm not lying!" He tried to back up, but his buddies were hiding behind him. None of them were trained knights, but King Silovice had told them that if they were under any kind of pressure, they were to claim knighthood.

"Tell the king that the prince is under the protection of Sir Kohler now, and his little attempts to thwart my duty will be dealt with slowly and painfully."

They nodded quickly and scrambled off, hoping that they wouldn't be in too much trouble because of it.

Mathias sat back down at his post.

"Is someone there?" The prince's soft voice floated out of the small tent.

"No one but me and the trees, my prince." Mathias smiled softly to himself. "Get some rest; we have a long day tomorrow."

And all was silent once again.


	2. Knight and Healer

It had taken a few days, but they had crossed from Swedish territory through the Baltic Sea and were currently in an outlying area of Prussian lands. "For how long have you trained and been a knight?"

Mathias smiled a bit. "I started training when I was five, and I was knighted when I was seventeen." He started training with his father and continued it with his older brother. They had even been knighted together.

"And how old are you now?"

"Twenty-one. You are nineteen, correct?" Honestly, the Norwegian looked younger than nineteen in body but hundreds of years older in soul. You could see it in those endless eyes of his. Nikolas nodded a little. "Are you turning twenty soon, or did you recently turn nineteen?"

"Recently nineteen. How about yourself?"

"About halfway to either."

The conversation seemed to die out until the Dane opened his big mouth again. "Are you interested in older or younger men?"

"I... That doesn't concern you."

He didn't want to be rude, but it was something he wanted to know, even if he didn't know  _why_ he wanted to. "I was only curious..."

"Be curious silently." He kept his face blank, feeling his ears burn a little. Luckily for him, his blond locks fell over them.

"I am sorry for my indiscretion." He paused, wondering how that could make him uncomfortable. "Why does it bother you when I ask such things?"

"Because."

"Because why?"

"Because they are private matters. You have no need to know." It was completely unprofessional for him to be asking such things.

"Even if I can help?"

"Help?"

"Find someone for you. Just because you have to marry some princess does not mean you have to be void of love." Mathias wasn't a believer in 'Suck it up, deal with it.' He firmly stuck to the idea that anyone could find love, no matter the circumstances.

Apparently Nikolas was to be contented with his lot, even if it made him miserable. No matter how tempting Mat's offer was to him. "No."

The knight sighed softly. "As you wish, your highness."

The crunching of leaves and twigs beneath the horses' hooves accompanied the huffy breath of the large animals. Mat really didn't like silence. And Nikolas didn't like it when Mathias was silent. He got all twitchy and wiggly in his saddle. Even if he loved nothing more than the quiet, Mathias silent was much more annoying than Mathias talking. "What... about yourself?"

"What do you mean?"

"Who are you attracted to?"

That was not expected, but, Mathias supposed, Nikolas wasn't exactly predictable. "I've never really had a huge preference either way." He shrugged, thinking back to his brother. "I've never actually seen what the big fuss is all about with choosing and all that. Love is love, right?" He smiled at the Norwegian. Said Norwegian was giving him a look he couldn't quite decipher. "What? It doesn't make sense why people think it's odd or shameful. Honestly, it's more common than most want to admit."

Nikolas shook his head a little, inwardly amused. "Perhaps." He swiveled back to the road, confusing the Dane even further.

For Mathias it was quite mystifying being around the Norwegian. It had only been a few days since they met, but it was like everything the prince said was a puzzle. A puzzle that Mathias couldn't figure out. Probably ever.

"Are we close to a town?" Nikolas was getting tired of riding. They had been at it for too many hours.

Mat shrugged a little, "If we ride for another couple of hours, we will come upon a small village." But they would have to ride until nightfall if they wanted to make any sort of progress in this venture. They'd be staying with a friend of his, and the very thought made him smile a little.

A comment came from the side. "You smile a lot."

Mathias turned a little. "Because I am happy a lot."

"What makes you happy?" What could be called curiosity crept into the Norwegian's voice.

The Dane had to consider it for a moment. What really made him happy? "Lots of things, happy people, good situations, cheer, pretty days, small animals, laughter, nice people, nice things, generosity, a battle gone right, children... Family." He loved his family more than anything. It was hard to think about them sometimes. He shook his head to clear it. "What makes you smile?"

Nikolas didn't even have to ponder it. He knew exactly what made him happy. "Knowing I mean something to someone, being cared for, and being free."

' _Being free of what, though?'_

***Awesomely transitioning***

"What is it like where you live?"

"Flat. Very, very flat. Hills here are like mountains back home."

Nikolas had never been in Denmark before. According to his father, there was no need to have talks of alliances until all of the fighting was done. "Hey Mathias? When our journey is over, are you still going to be my guard?"

Mathias nodded once, but stopped, thinking it over. "Well... I'm not entirely sure, to be honest. If I do well on this assignment, then probably so. Usually a personal guard stays with their charge until one of them dies or the charge specifically requests a new guard. But because of the nature of your status it could be subject to change. Though, now that I think about it, it's more likely that I would be a guard for you in the long term because of payoffs, bribes, blackmail and easily swayed characters."

"Do you want to remain my guard?"

"Yeah."

"Why?"

"Because we're friends, right? Friends stick together."

***Awesomely transitioning***

Darkness had fallen once again, shrouding the town in a deep shadow. A man was on the ground, chest being pressed down by a heavy boot. "Who this time?" The downed man kept his silence, glaring at the knight. "Oh, okay, that's how you want this to go." He leaned in, pressing a bit harder, quickening the other's breath. "If so, then I want to let you know that I can torture you for two weeks straight before you die and not even a second will be painless." A wolfish grin teased around the knight's lips.

The man spat up at his captor. "Your threats mean nothing."

"It wasn't a threat. It was a promise." The tip of his sword came to rest under the man's chin, indenting into the man's skin.

"King Silvoce."

"I thought so. You seem a  _tiny_  bit more intelligent than your predecessors. Why does he want the prince dead?"

"Our king wants his revenge against his father for abandoning him in battle. Our prince died because of him, so the proper means of revenge is obvious." His words were hurried, the metal against his throat drawing blood.

"Thank you for your cooperation. Now," He dragged the blade against his neck then his chest, again and again, just enough to be painful, just enough to keep him alive. "If you can fix yourself up, tell your king that he will  _not_  be getting anywhere with that stupid line of thought. I'm his protector now."

"A-and who are you?" He asked with a gasping breath.

"The Wolf of the North."

***Awesomely transitioning***

In the bright morning light streaming into the inn through the large glass windows, you would see two men speaking, one obviously of the higher class, the other most definitely a warrior. To see them eating breakfast together would be odd, but the friendly air about the warrior would shrug off all of those questions.

"Do you mind if I ask a question?"

"You may."

"This princess, do you have  _any_  choice in the matter?"

"No. It is purely on what kingdom my father wishes to have the strongest alliance with."

Mathias sighed. "That's too bad. Everyone deserves to find love, you know?"

Nikolas looked out the window to the town outside, slowly waking up. "Where might our next stop be?"

"Depending on our speed, either another night in the woods or the house of a friend of mine who has given us an invitation to stay."

"Who is this friend of yours?" The prince really didn't want to know what kind of friends Mathias  _could_  have.

This was actually one of the friends that he had that Mat thought the Norwegian might approve of. "Matthew Williams. Quiet boy but very nice, very generous." And judging by the look of surprise from him, Mat had gotten the right idea in his head.

***Awesomely transitioning***

"We are about an hour from Mattie's place." Nikolas nodded in acknowledgement. "Is there anything you wish to know about him, your highness?"

"His social standing, family, line of work, and anything else you believe I should know."

"Well he's not a royal, his father is a famous chef, he has a twin brother who is a soldier in your father's army - a captain, I believe. His mother passed when he and his brother were born. He is a healer, quite shy and soft-spoken. In his last letter about a month ago he said he was in love, but he did not mention with whom. His cabin is far away from people because of his aversion to crowds, he is almost as good a cook as his father, and I think that about sums him up."

"How did you meet?" It was curious that Mathias could know so many different people, especially considering how young he was. How had he gone so many places?

"He grew up near my brother and I, so we looked out for Matthew. His brother was so loud and pronounced that Mattie got pushed aside a lot. We made sure that he stayed happy, and even when we left for training we kept in touch, a couple letters a month catching up and making sure he was okay. When I came back he visited often until he moved out here and I came out to see him a few times." Mat smiled at the memories. Matthew was more like his little brother than the friend he helped when they were younger.

"I am interested in meeting him." The Dane nodded. He thought that they would get along pretty darn well; they held many of the same ideals, and maybe that was why Mattie hadn't told him who this person he loved was. But hopefully he knew that Mat would support him no matter what.

The only sound that accompanied the two until they approached the cabin was the soft thump of the horses' hooves hitting the soft soil.

"Is that his home?" A rather large cabin had come into their field of vision, covered in a thick layer of moss and ivy, surrounded by large trees. You could almost believe that it had been there forever, never having been occupied or disturbed by humans, but a small curl of grey smoke out of the chimney would suggest otherwise.

"Yeah. That's it. For some reason it  _always_  smells like maple in there." Mathias chuckled softly at the thought.

They got close enough to dismount and tie up their horses at the water trough.

"Mathias?"

Mat spun around and grinned. "Mattie!" He hugged the young man with long blond hair. "You got taller since I saw you last!"

The blond laughed softly, and somehow Nikolas could assume everything he did was that. Soft. "Who's your friend?"

Nikolas decided that this new person wasn't to know that he was a royal. It would ruin his image. And someone who didn't call him sire, your highness, or prince was a welcome change. "I am Nikolas."

A kind smile graced the blond's lips. "Hello, it's wonderful to meet you. As the loud one said, I am Matthew. Would you like to come in?"

They nodded. "Please."

"I was just about to see if- um, never mind. Are you hungry?" He caught himself, but it was pretty obvious to the both of them something was going on.

The Dane gave him a look. "Wait, wait, wait, see if what?"

"Um -"

Pale arms wrapped around the man's waist, pulling him back into a hard chest, holding him tight. "Hey birdie~! What do you say we do something  _special_  tonight? I know you want to..." The face attached to the arms plopped itself on Matthew's shoulders, red eyes glinting with mischief and the grin, nearing predatory.


	3. Knight and Prince

Nikolas blinked in surprise at the new arrival. "Excuse me?"

The Dane could only glare at the white-haired man hanging himself all over Mattie. "Mattie? Who is this?"

The little blonde was trying to maneuver himself out of his grip. "Gil! We have company!" He looked very uncomfortable, and Mathias' "big brother" instincts were going into overdrive.

The man with the white hair seemed to just notice the pair and appeared quite annoyed at their presence. "The awesome me is known as Gilbert. Now who are you not-as-awesome people?"

"My name is Nikolas." Though the prince was not sure what to think of the situation.

Mat cracked his knuckles leisurely, glaring the man known as Gilbert down. "I'm Mathias, Mattie's older brother. You and me are gonna talk later."

"Mathias!" Matthew tried to reason. "That isn't necessary!"

"Oh, yes it is."

Gilbert just stared. "Oh. Hi?" He had had a problem with Mattie's  _other_  older brother, and that had not gone well for anyone involved. His hands went up in surrender as the glare from the Dane got more  _'I will kill you and have no remorse in doing so.'_

Mattie watched the knight's hands unclench a little and sighed softly in relief. "Shall we go inside, then?"

Inside the house, everything was neat, clean, and mostly uncluttered. The furniture was all carved wood that Mathias's brother had done for the little blonde when he made the house. Mattie had insisted that the large house would make him feel lonely and that there was no reason to go to such a fuss. But Berwald had stopped listening after about two minutes of protest. There was no stopping him, and when he told the boy that he was doing it for the practice, Mattie couldn't help but feel bad about trying to stop him and just let Berwald be, even if he felt it was far too much.

Almost all the cushions and covers had been done by either Matthew's adoptive father or by the blonde himself. The books on the shelves had been sent to him by his older brother. They were mainly adventure books that he wanted Mattie to read and think of him doing all the heroic deeds. But there was the occasional medicine or plant book for him to read that Alfred had sent when actually thinking of his brother's preferences.

The whole house smelled like maple. At all times you could count on it smelling as such. The first reason for this was that Berwald had used maple trees for the wood for Mattie's house. The second was that Mattie found a way to make his own maple syrup and cooked it in his house as often as he needed, which was often.

The fire in the corner fireplace warmed the house, giving the whole place a cozy feeling. But without the blonde in the room, it seemed less so. He gave most of the personality to the house.

"You must be hungry after riding all day. I'll go make up something for dinner." Mattie smiled and headed into the kitchen, the albino following like a puppy.

"Make pancakes, Birdie!" A soft laugh followed the request.

Mathias took a deep breath through the nose. "See what I mean about the maple?"

Nikolas nodded.

In the kitchen, Gilbert's arms were around the blonde's waist as he mixed the ingredients in a bowl. "So what do you think about those two?"

"What do you mean?" Mattie maneuvered himself out of the albino's arms to get around his kitchen.

Gil leaned against a non-essential counter. "Think we can hook them up? Maybe it'd get the not-so-awesome guy off my back."

Mattie thought about it for a moment. "I don't know about Nikolas, but I think I see something on Mathias's side."

"Maybe we can make something work." The grin upon Gil's face could only be described as mischievous, as were many of the smiles that graced the albino's lips.

Mattie smiled back. "It's definitely a good idea. What to do, though?"

Gil snapped his fingers. "I've got it!" And he started explaining his awesome plan.

***A little bit of awesome transitioning***

Gil reached out for the plate in the middle of the table.

"Gilbert, you of all people know the rules," Matthew chastised while he started serving the others.

Nikolas looked to the other blonde. "Thank you."

"Do I get pancakes now?"

"You're welcome." Mattie smiled softly. "Silly Prussian," he said with a loving roll of the eyes at Gilbert.

Mathias raised an eyebrow at Gil. "You're Prussian?"

Gil nodded and snagged his pancakes, grinning. "Gilbert, for whatever reason, left his castle for this little cabin in the woods."

That was weirdly put. "What do you mean?"

Gil laughed. "Technically I'm a prince."

That piqued Nikolas's interest. "Of what kingdom?"

Through a mouthful Gil answered. "Bielshmidt."

Nik nodded, remembering the story. "I've heard of it."

"Why do you say technically?"

Mattie sat down, placing the syrup on the table. "When he left, he kind of passed up the crown, but if he comes back he gets to be king when his father passes."

The Prussian shrugged. "My brother Ludwig is more suited to that role anyways. Besides, it's so much more awesome here." He took another mouthful. "So how long you two here for?"

"Tonight."

"Only tonight?"

Nikolas nodded once. "We have to be somewhere as soon as possible."

The rest of dinner passed without incident, unless you count Gilbert being smacked on the head with a spatula for his manners an incident.

After the table had been cleared, Mattie was showing Nikolas where he would be sleeping that night, and Mathias had no interruptions in which to talk to the albino.

"So,  _Gilbert,_ I believe this would be the proper time for our talk."

"Yeah." He was rightfully wary of the knight before him; he was super tough, but this guy had a few inches on him and a lot more buffed-up-ness.

"Have you met Alfred?" Alfred was Mattie's older twin brother who had gone off to become a soldier for the Norwegian army. He would have gone to the English one, but he had to get away from home and it was closer to Mattie. He was incredibly over-protective and very hot tempered.

"Yes, why? You're not going to give me the whole speech again, are you?" He had gotten that from Alfred already, and it was not pleasant. He couldn't stop seeing Mattie in Al's face, and seeing the anger really wasn't awesome. Especially not when he didn't mean the youngest brother any harm.

"The 'if you do anything to hurt him, I will kill you' speech?" Gilbert nodded. Mathias grinned darkly and pulled out his hunting knife, playing with it idly, sending an invisible shudder down the prince's spine. "No. I wouldn't kill you. I would torture every last ounce of strength, will power, and blood out of your body, starting with your appendages, then I would leave you to Alfred."

Gil backed up a step. "I already promised I won't hurt him!"

The dark smile stayed on Mathias's lips. "Good. Then we'll get along wonderfully."

The Prussian nodded. "I'm going to go check on Mattie." And up the stairs he went.

"You do that." And the knife was placed back in its sheath. This was his favorite part of being a big brother.

Nikolas and Matthew were quietly chatting about the journey when Gilbert burst in whining. "Birdie! He is so not awesome! What is it with your family trying to kill me?"

Mattie sighed and looked up from his seat. "They're just protective. It's all very sweet if you think about it."

"My life being threatened isn't sweet!"

The youngest blonde got up and patted the top of Gilbert's head. "They wouldn't actually kill you unless you did something bad."

"And you know I won't!"

Mattie smiled sweetly at his lover. "Then you shouldn't be worried." He turned to the Norwegian resting on the bed. "We'll leave you to rest. You had a long day of travel, I'm sure." And he dragged the Prussian out, closing the door behind them.

Gil grinned. "So do I get to let them know they're sharing a room now?"

Mattie smiled, a glint of mischief flashing behind his glasses. "If you want to tell them _. Or_  we could just surprise them."

The albino's grin got even bigger. "I love you so much." The blonde laughed and kissed him, pulling him back downstairs.

Mathias yawned, "Hey Mattie?"

He nodded. "Follow me." He started leading Mathias through the house, getting him lost in the unnecessarily large cabin and then indicated to a closed door, "There you go."

"Thanks, Mattie. Goodnight, Gilbert." He walked in, and as soon as he stopped inside the doorway the door closed and locked behind him.

Nikolas looked over, covering his exposed pale skin up as he had been changing. "Can I help you with something?" A faint blush brushed the Norwegian's cheeks, and Mathias could only think of how weirdly beautiful the prince was. He was frozen for a full second, just staring at his charge, taking in the sight. But all of a sudden he realized what he was doing, straightened, and turned around.

"Oops! Mattie must have gotten the wrong room." He turned the doorknob to leave, but it wouldn't open. "That's odd…."

"What do you mean 'odd'?" Nikolas asked from across the room.

Mattie called through the door. "I'm sorry, you two, that door has a tricky lock, and I'm afraid I don't know where the key is."

"Well, I would suggest finding it," Nikolas started with a warning tone.

"Yeah," the Prussian started with a soft chuckle. "We'll do that."

Nikolas sighed as he heard the two leave the doorway. He glanced to his guard. "Stay there. I'm going to finish changing."

"Will do." He wasn't a peeping tom, not even for someone as gorgeous as Prince Nikolas. Besides, he had already looked.

Nikolas slipped on his nightshirt. "I assume we will be staying in here tonight."

Mathias nodded a few times before realizing Nik probably couldn't see him. "I think so."

The prince sighed again. "I guess one night is okay."

"If you prefer, I can take the floor."

"We can share. The bed is big enough." Well, that was surprising. Mathias really wasn't expecting that to come out of the prince's mouth. So far his impression was that, though the prince was pretty calm about things, he was still quite shy. "I haven't shared a bed since I was little… Depending on the company, it's nice, I guess."

Mathias nodded, hearing the rustle of the covers that signaled Nikolas's climbing under the covers, so he pulled off his bulky armor pieces, placing them on the bedside table. He leaned over and blew out the candle on the table and sat down on the bed.

"Lie down." The knight slipped into the bed, not allowing himself to touch the Norwegian next to him. But it seemed as if the other had different ideas, scooting closer, with the excuse, "You're warm."

They fell into a gentle sleep, getting closer for warmth until Mathias's arm wove itself around the prince's middle. Only the light of the morning could wake these two from their slumber, and it was the best sleep either had had in a very long while.

When Nikolas awoke, he pulled himself from the knight's grasp regretfully, wishing he could stay in the older man's hold. He rather liked his guard, quite more than he probably should.

***Awesomely transitioning***

Nikolas sighed softly.

"Are you alright?"

"I meet the princess next."

Mathias nodded, puffing out air. He wasn't as eager to get Nikolas to the princess quickly anymore. Something that Gil had said rang through his head.  _Seriously, if you can't see the way he looks at you… Well then maybe you don't deserve to know. Especially with you doing the same when he isn't looking._

Nikolas glanced over to his guard, who seemed to be concentrating on something. Said guard turned his head, sensing the staring, and their eyes met, something clicking within Mathias. Could it be what Gilbert was talking about?

Mat shook his head a little, eyes going back to the road. "You seem troubled by more than the usual situation, my prince. Would you like to talk about it?"

"It's just an impossible idea. Forget it." The Norwegian was tense, for a moment he thought – no. He needed to stop thinking like that. He would never be happy. It was just how things worked.

"Please tell me?" The Dane cared. It showed in more than the expression Nikolas was ignoring.

"I wouldn't know how." He could sense the curiosity bubbling up within the knight and sighed again. "You can figure it out on your own."

"How?"

Nikolas thought for a moment. "I'll give you a hint. I have never and can probably never do it. Hopefully I wouldn't be alone, either." Mathias started pondering hard. "It doesn't matter if you figure it out anyways. Like I said, it's an impossible idea."

The sight of horses coming over the crest of the next ridge appeared in their vision, closing in quickly. Mathias sighed softly. "Again?" Nikolas hadn't been awake the past two times, but he had been made aware of the situation.

"Apparently." Arrows started flying in their direction as the men got closer.

"Get off the horse." Nikolas did as told for once, without question. He may have been stubborn, but Mathias was the expert here, not him. The knight slid down off his own horse, Maybell, putting them both in front of the prince.

"Stay safe."

"I'll be fine. Worry about your safety first."

Six men were quickly surrounding them, weapons drawn. "Go! Leave now!" Mathias pulled out his sword, already going after the first man to challenge him. Nikolas hesitated a moment. Mat turned slightly. "GO!" Nik needed no more reason and dashed off.

One of the men noticed and went off after him. Mathias spun around, throwing a knife that lodged in the following attacker's neck, making him fall to the ground.

The Dane turned back to the remaining four men. "Let me guess. King Silovice?"

"Of course. But it doesn't matter, for you have lost." Mat grabbed him and stabbed him through the throat, dropping him to the ground with a sickening thud, the other three men going after him all at once.

They were simple, of course; they had no real training like Mathias's own. But as he counted the bodies, he couldn't find the sixth man. "Nikolas!"

"Here!" A surprised cry came from the prince as his shoulder was hit by the scrape of a knife.

Mathias ran towards the voice, grabbing a bow from one of the bodies and firing at the last man, who fell to the hard earth, his blood staining the ground. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine."

"You were injured. Where?"

Nikolas shook his head. "It's just a scrape…"

Mathias took a deep breath. "Well, let's wrap it up just in case. We don't want it to fester."

The prince nodded once. "And yourself?"

"I did not fare as well as I'd hoped." Mathias was never uninjured in a fight, but he could handle it. "We ought to get back to the horses."

They started walking back, the knight trying to hide how the wound on his chest pained him. He would take care of it later, when the prince could not see. It would not bode well for the prince to see his guard affected by pain. They returned to their horses and Mathias helped the Norwegian onto his before checking the other party's bags for anything that could help them in any way. There were a few bandages, but other than that, they seemed to have only been packed for a day's journey.

Mathias hopped onto Maybell, wincing as the movement pulled the edges of his cuts. They were able to make it to another river before stopping again, allowing the horses rest and water. The knight went to gather firewood, deciding that as the sun was going down very soon, they could make camp here.

"Stop."

Mat swiveled to look at the prince. "What's wrong, your highness?"

"Show me your wounds." Mathias paused and then pulled off his shirt, exposing the gash. "Stay here." Nikolas went to his pack and pulled out the aid kit, pushed the Dane down into a sitting position, and kneeled in front of him to start washing the dried blood off.

Mat winced a little at the feeling of the cloth brushing the tender edges of the cuts. "Thank you, your highness." Nikolas just nodded. He wanted to help.

***Awesomely transitioning***

"Did you figure it out?"

Mathias paused. What if he had it right? Worse – what if he had it wrong and made a fool of himself, wrecking his chances of ever getting his life properly on track? "I.…" He shook his head. "I don't know." He watched Nikolas's eyes fall. "You said it was impossible. Why?"

"Because I can't allow myself to and because it won't be accepted. It's simply impossible."

The crackle of the fire filled the silence. "I have learned that nothing is impossible." Nikolas stayed quiet. "Hey, do you trust me?"

"Yes."

"And you know I would let no harm come to you if I could prevent it?"

"What are you getting at, Mathias?"

"Just, please... Answer me."

"Yes."

Mathias leaned down a little so he could truly look the prince in the eyes. "Nikolas…" He placed a hand on the smaller man's cheek.

"Mathias?" His words were barely a whisper.

A whisper cut off by the press of Mathias's soft lips against his own.


	4. Knight and Princess

The knight's lips were soft, the warm touch trying to melt the Norwegian prince from the inside out. Nikolas couldn't move for a moment, not until the other's strong arms wrapped around him, holding him in a close embrace. His own arms came to encircle the Dane's neck, but he pulled away a little from the kiss. "Why?"

"I like you. I like you a lot."

"Good." And Mathias found himself being pulled in again for another press of his lips against the other's. Nikolas may have had little to no experience with this kind of thing, but Mat was still captivated by him.

Only when air was absolutely necessary did they slowly separate, arms still tightly wound around their partner, smiling softly at each other. But a thought came to Mat, popping his happy bubble. "This could never work… Could it?"

The prince paused, knowing which answer was logical and another that was smart for his own heart. Screw logic. "I don't know. But I am willing to try."

"You are?" Mathias had definitely expected Nikolas to be completely against them, for propriety's sake if nothing else. Nikolas just nodded, and Mat grinned wider, picking up his charge and spinning around in a circle with a laugh.

The Norwegian squeaked and smacked his arm. "Put me down!" Mat quickly did, looking sheepish. Nikolas just rolled his eyes a little. "Idiot."

They settled back down next the fire, leaning against one another. "Only a few days left." Nikolas's voice was soft, not wanting to ruin the quiet. Though with the Dane around, the quiet wasn't going to last for long.

"Three or four. If we make good time, though, more like two and a half."

***Not So Awesomely Transitioning***

Unfortunately for the both of them, they were at the castle at noon of the third day.

Awaiting them was the king of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, a jovial man, quite the people person, loved by his people, and a proud father of a male heir, Prince Roderich, who was well equipped for the job, though not so outwardly happy as his father.

"Welcome, Prince Nikolas!" King Alexis boomed, smiling wide at the young man and his escort. "It is good to finally see you. Tell me, how was your journey here?"

The prince bowed in respect. "There was some trouble with a rival kingdom, but otherwise it was calm and easy."

Mathias held back a grimace. Calm and easy didn't quite explain what they had gone through. He had many bruises and cuts to prove that it wasn't  _"calm and easy."_

The king nodded, having expected this. "We will worry about this other kingdom later, but for now, there is someone I would like you to meet." The King Alexis was also the father of a young lady, Princess Elizaveta. She was beautiful girl. With long chestnut hair that cascaded down her back in a wave of well-kept locks, piercing emerald eyes that glittered with mischief and cleverness with a façade of innocence, and curves to die for, she would be considered the perfect bride to a very lucky prince. If only this prince  _wanted_  a princess.

Elizaveta walked in and curtsied to the guests. "Father? You sent for me?"

A grand hand gesture from the king to his daughter caught the whole room's attention. "This is my daughter, Princess Elizaveta. I hope you will enjoy each other's company in the coming month."

Her smile was pretty, very sweet. "You must be Prince Nikolas. It is wonderful to meet you." She seemed shy, but somehow there was an element of not-so-sweet hidden behind that little beam.

Nikolas merely nodded. "Likewise, princess."

King Alexis seemed to take this as a sign of good fortune. "Well then! I shall have someone guide you to your rooms, and then we will let the festivities commence!"

Nikolas wondered as his guide showed them to their rooms if the Princess wanted this marriage. She was still young. She looked it, too. The door closed behind Mathias, leaving the two on their own once more. "What do you think?"

Indigo eyes scanned the room, taking in their accommodations. "She's nice." He looked to his trunk, the one from the carriage that had originally broken down; apparently it had made it there before them. "We should head back down."

Mat could only agree. "Yeah. You're right, but I think we need to change out of these clothes first."

They went their separate ways and put on new, not gross from the road, frippery. Nikolas was required to join the royal family at dinner that night and was escorted there by a helpful servant, a girl from the Far Eastern lands, named Mei. Apparently she was Princess Eliza's attendant.

Mathias walked to the dining hall with him but was unable to accompany him within. He bowed in respect and left to explore the palace and see if the rumors about an old friend staying there were true.

"Are you good friends with your knight, Prince Nikolas?" The princess asked as he sat down.

Nikolas nodded, smiling a little inwardly at the notion, though now the term would be better categorized as partners. "Do you have many friends, princess?"

She seemed to have to think about it a moment, though in all honestly, it wouldn't be unusual for a princess to have never even left the castle, let alone have any real friends. "My older brother Roderich."

"What is he like?"

"He is very strong and very nice. He has protected me always, but he is also a little overbearing when he thinks I'm in over my head. Do you have any siblings?"

"No." He wanted to change the subject; his family was not exactly a fun topic. "How old are you, princess?"

"I just turned sixteen."

Nikolas hated hearing that. She was barely old enough to leave her parents, let alone get married and have children. His own father had started looking for a bride for him when he turned fifteen; she undoubtedly started earlier. "I see. You are prepared for our potential marriage?"

She glanced over at her father, who was immersed in a conversation with one of his many advisors. "Yes, it is my duty. Surely you understand the feeling?"

No control was  _quite_  a familiar feeling. "I do." He noticed the lowering of her eyes. She didn't want this either. "Forgive me. I know it is a topic neither of us wish to discuss."

The brunette gave him a hard look, meeting his eyes for the first time. "There is nothing to forgive. We are bound by the kingdoms." She paused. "I have heard that you refuse to love any in an arranged marriage. If we are chosen for this, I hope we can at least be friendly." She hadn't planned on loving her spouse, either.

He nodded and they shared a moment of silence, both determined to make the best of things. Nikolas was incredibly aware of his father's adulation at this match. The Hapsburgs were a very powerful kingdom, as were the Bondeviks. It would be foolish to think that they would be set elsewhere.

Elizaveta knew how much her father wanted her married. There had been a previous suitor that had gone wrong, and her reputation was in the balance. If she didn't get a husband within the next year, it was unlikely that any would take her.

King Alexis glanced over to his daughter and the Prince, seeing what he hoped: the two of them staring into each other's eyes. "And what is your first impression of my daughter?"

This seemed to startle them, and the King held a grin. "She is beautiful and appears to be very kindhearted. You are lucky to have a daughter such as her."

The princess's cheeks flushed slightly. She knew meaningless praise for what it was, but it was still nice to hear every once in a while. "Lizzie, what do you think of the prince?" Ugh, how she hated that name. She much preferred Eliza or Liz.

"He seems very sweet, well-mannered, and obviously quite handsome."

The King's grin seemed to stretch further. "I do hope your father chooses to ally with us. It seems as if you two would make a good couple."

Eliza had to talk to the prince alone, but her father could not be alerted to the nature of this talk. "If you are not busy, can I interest you in a walk around the gardens after dinner?"

Nikolas nodded, seeing something in her eyes that told him this was important. "That would be fine."

Dinner was mostly a quiet affair; the king was very pleased with the way the two seemed to get along. Very mannerly, kind words, and it didn't seem like it was forced either.

After the meal was over, they two young royals stood and walked out to the famous rose gardens. They strolled a while, making their way far away from the eavesdropping ears of the guards and servants. "You wish to be with the one you care deeply for, correct?" She had already guessed; he looked like a man in love.

There was no point in denying it. "Yes."

"Then you would not be offended if I could not go through with a union?" Now that was surprising. Nikolas nodded a bit. "I do not imagine you would want to do so anyway." She was right.

"Why are you willing to do so?"

"Willing to do what, exactly? Marry you or some other prince?"

"Willing to not marry me, should our fathers decide we should."

She gave him a sidelong look, smiling gently. "Because you are not the only one in love. And even if you were, I would hate to be the one to mess things up between you and the one you  _do_ love." He nodded again. "I cannot be with the one I love because of society. Why are you not?"

Again, there was no sense in lying or hiding it. "Because of our differing status and because he is also a male."

Eliza had figured that much, at least. "Then we are very similar, though I don't get to see Emma very often."

"What is she like?"

"Very kind. She travels everywhere but comes from Belgium. She has short blonde hair and always brings me beautiful flowers, though they are no match for her. She is just so good to me... And she sees me as real, too. Not just a girl that is to be married off, but as  _me_."

"Sounds like Mathias, in a way." It really did. She looked at him curiously. "My personal guard."

"And is it him?" Nikolas nodded. "What is he like?"

He smiled a little, not even realizing he was doing so. "He's an idiot, but...he's a kind and fun-loving idiot. He's done well to protect me on our journey here, and I trust him with my life. Like Emma does for you, he sees me for me and, for a moment at least, I can forget I'm a prince."


	5. Knight and Travelling Merchant

The Prince Nikolas and his knight had been staying in the Hapsburg castle for nearly a whole month. Every night was spent in each other's company, and the days were mostly spent exploring the kingdom, kissing up to the king and spending time with the princess. Mathias and Nikolas would return to the castle for dinner, and there they would part until the candles had burned down to the lowest of their lights. Then the night would begin between them, heating up the cold apartments.

This night was different, however. Mathias had been invited to join the royal family for dinner.

The princess was nearly as confused as Nikolas, but none was more confused than Mathias himself. The silence at the table was deafening, tense. "So, Father, not that the company of such an esteemed knight is unwelcome, but I do have to wonder why."

The King's utensils were slowly put down as not to clatter. "Silovice's men are on the move." Nikolas's eyes shot up from staring at the table. "I've sent out soldiers to dispatch them, but it's been too lon-"

A solider ran into the room, huffing and puffing. "Your Highness! They-they have reached the front gate!"

Mat stood up swiftly, the chair rocking back, falling to the ground. "How many?"

"It seems to be a force twenty-some men large! We tried, but...!"

The king stood as well, but his chair stayed upright. "Enough. Gather my troops! They will not get inside!"

Mathias pulled his charge up out of her chair. "Sire, I advise that you get your daughter somewhere safe. The prince and I must leave immediately."

Her attendants quickly gathered her out of her seat. "Wait!" She struggled against them. "What about Emma?!" Eliza's protests were easily ignored, but Nikolas went to her as she pulled away from the people who tried to take her to safety.

"Where is she?"

"I don't know," Fear was prevalent in her eyes. "She was supposed to be talking with the soldiers…." Nikolas swore under his breath and started to run out.

But Mathias wouldn't let that happen, grabbing his arm. "Prince Nikolas, stop! You can't go out there!" The prince glared at his guard and opened his mouth to tell him off, but he was shushed. "I'll get this Emma, just don't go out there! I don't want to see you get hurt. It won't be hard to find her, but you could get killed. That is these men's job. To kill you." Nik knew he was right. Mathias and he shared a look and separated, Mathias heading to the barracks, Nikolas heading to the princess, where her lady's maid was waiting for him.

"I'm here to show you to a safe point." She grabbed their hands and pulled them to the basement near the stables, knowing that they were going to need to get out as soon as possible.

Mathias, however, was having a dandy old time trying to find a girl who had only briefly been described to him, through a myriad of rushing soldiers and terrified peasants. There was one girl, however, with a knife in her hand and messy blonde hair tied back with a red bandana. She was being set upon by an attacker.

The Dane grabbed the man, punched him in the face, and looked back to her. "Are you Emma?"

She looked him over warily, which made sense; he definitely didn't look like anyone from the Hapsburg Empire. "Who are you?"

"Mathias Kohler. Nice to meet you. Now come  _on -_  Elizaveta has been worrying herself sick over you! We need to get you back to safety!" He picked her up bridal-style and started running. This surprised her, but she realized the practicality of it until they reached the inner halls once again. "Do you have any idea where they could have gone that would be safe to hide?"

"Um... head for the basement, but take the east entrance! I'll direct you from there!" He started running again, passing fretting servants. She listed off directions that he could easily follow, and when they reached the door, he set her back down. "Eliza!"

The princess opened the door immediately, face lighting up at the sight of the Belgian. Said Belgian pulled the princess into her arms, holding her tightly.

"Nikolas?"

Nik walked out behind her. "I'm here."

"Thank God you're safe." He paused. "We need to leave. Now. Maybe we should take them with us so we all stay safe."

Nikolas looked his lover over. "What are you planning?"

It was simple to Mat. "We leave through the western entrance, ride until dawn, let the horses rest, and then continue back to Mattie's place. We can stay there a couple of days while King Silovice's men search the surrounding areas. No one will find us there. After a few days we can continue north, making our way back to your castle. There we can take sanctuary."

Emma looked to the princess. "Are you okay with that?" She nodded.

They quickly made their way through the servant's hallways to get to the stables as quickly as possible. "I want the princess directly behind me and one of you on either side. We will be heading towards the forest. If you lose sight of the group, immediately head to the pond a hundred or so yards in from the edge of the woods."

The princess's attendant was there, waiting with horses saddled and bags tied to them. "Go quickly."

After helping everyone onto their horses, Mathias swung up onto his own, then looked at his party. They needed protection. He grabbed the bow and quiver from his saddle. "Miss Emma, do you know how to use these?" She nodded and reached for them. He passed them over, pulling the saber from his hip. "Nik. This one is for you." Nikolas had been trained in the saber. It was an effective enough weapon. The Dane looked the princess over for a second then tossed her a dagger in a sheath. "Here. Just in case." She nodded, sliding it onto her belt.

"Okay, after me." He smacked the reins and they were off, running through the fighting just starting to make its way into the inner courtyards. Luckily, any potential enemies were being shot back by the archers on the walls, recognizing the princess and the visiting prince.

Once they were out of the castle walls, they could see the massive attacking force, but they couldn't stop. They rode hard for at least an hour.

Mathias started softly pulling at his reins, slowing his horse and the rest of the party to a stop. "We should stop here for a moment." Deep into the forest was where they were, and the princess and her lover could only hope that the knight truly knew where he was going.

The merchant slid off, patting her horse's heaving neck before helping her princess off. "Where are we headed again?"

Nikolas was the one who answered. "To the home of Mathias's friend."

"Are you sure we can trust him? I know he's a friend, but..."

Mat nodded. "He's practically family."

Emma looked out in the direction from which they had come. "Do you think the men have been stopped by now?"

Mathias could only shake his head; sieges like that would more than likely last several days, and reinforcements would show up, just in the nick of time, destroying the intruder. "No. They will have breached the castle and be searching for Nikolas and possibly Princess Eliza."

Emma pulled her lover close to her, the princess relaxing into her hold. Nikolas knew that feeling, the feeling of finally being safe.

Mathias took his hand and squeezed it gently, more subtly showing that he was still there for the Norwegian. "I'll be right back. I have to make sure we weren't followed." A nod from his lover sent him off on foot into the forest.

Emma smiled over at the prince. "You two are so cute."

Nikolas was startled out of his watching. "What?"

"You're so cute together! Of course not as cute as Eliza, but still!"

The Hungarian laughed softly. "It is quite sweet how much he loves you." Nikolas looked away, embarrassed a little. "And how much you love him."

***A little bit of awesome transitioning***

The Belgian glanced over at the two men in their party. "Prince? Why do those men want you?"

"For revenge. Apparently their prince died because of something my father did." The prince to King Silovice was a young boy, no more than eleven when the news of his death reached the other kingdoms. Everyone knew that because he was supposed to be with a caravan of Norwegian soldiers during the war against the Swedish kingdoms, King Silovice blamed the rulers of that caravan. Supposedly, they let the son be captured and killed. Weirdly enough, until then, not many people had known he had an heir to his throne.

"So they wouldn't target the princess, correct?" That was a tricky one. They might leave her alone, for alliance purposes, but they also might capture her for ransom, or they could just outright kill her for being in their party.

"I don't think so, but there's no telling what they might do with another royal out in the open. We'll have a third when we reach the cabin."

Eliza looked over curiously. "Who?"

"Prince Gilbert Beilschmidt." Mat piped in helpfully.

She quite obviously bristled up. " _He_  is out  _here_?" Something about her tone suggested this was the last thing she wanted to hear.

Emma examined her lover closely. "Why?"

The Hungarian seemed to regain some of her composure. "He was the original suitor my father chose. When he disappeared, we all assumed he had gone south."

That didn't seem to help Emma understand what the issue was. "So why would he be here then?"

Nikolas shrugged a little. "He fell in love."

Eliza's frame stayed tense. "How sweet." Her words came from between clenched teeth.

***Another little bit of awesome transitioning***

When the fire at their campsite had burned down to the lowest lights it could muster, the two men in the party finally departed to their tent, Mat still on high alert. "Good night, Mathias." Nikolas lightly pressed a kiss to his cheek, rolling to face the other way as the Dane stayed up, listening to the calming sound of his lover's breathing.

"Good night, Nikolas."


	6. Knight and Pricked Arrows

When Mathias awoke that morning, something was very right. He had his lover in his arms, and there was no need to worry about being caught by maids. He slowly blinked awake, watching his lover stretch and pull out from under their blankets. "Morning, Nik."

"How long have you been up?" Nikolas straightened out his clothes and started combing fingers through his pale hair.

"Not long." Nik nodded and stood as best he could in the space, only to be pulled down again by the Dane, who had sat up by this point, and kissed him happily. "How did you sleep?"

Nikolas blinked in surprise. "What was that for?"

"Just because I love you." The Norwegian smiled a little, shaking his head. "So how did you sleep?"

"Good."

Nikolas got up again to change into his clothes, but right before that, he suddenly turned back around and pressed his lips to the Dane's. Mat could only grin more as he followed the Dane out. Emma and Liz were already out there, the Belgian making breakfast of porridge and eggs for the group.

The two men sat down and began eating with the girls.

"So," Emma started. "What's your friend like?"

"Quiet, sweet, silly, very kind."

She nodded a few times. "And the prince?"

Nikolas raised his shoulders a little in a noncommittal shrug. "He has an ego and says 'awesome' a lot, but he's not bad."

Mat nodded. "He's not bad. He's nice... Kind of." But he only said that because of Mattie.

Elizaveta was frowning. "He is incredibly vain. Rude. " The men gave her a look. "He stayed with us a month and a half. He was the most self-centered jerk of a prince I had ever met. A real perverse man as well."

***mini transition***

Riding in silence was easy. Elizaveta was still mad, Emma was confused, Mathias was content, and Nikolas was a quiet person in general. It was when this silence was broken by the sound of approaching hoof beats that Mathias deigned to end his own. "Faster." He tried not to sound worried, but knowing their luck, there were no fewer than seven people after them. If he was correct, that is.

Everyone sped up, following Mathias's newly complicated path. Emma put herself behind the princess, though whether that was conscious or not, we'll never know.

Unfortunately, despite the change in pace and directions, the men behind them were still able to fire off arrows, very nearly hitting those in their party.

The Belgian spun around in her saddle and pulled the bow off her back, quickly aiming and firing off four arrows of her own. There was a cry and a thump. One had stabbed into a man's stomach; another had hit its intended target of a man in the heart, and he had fallen from his horse. Her other two arrows were nowhere to be found.

Mat turned at the sound and threw a couple of his knives, his aim a bit more accurate; he hit the two front men. Oh, and hey, he was  _almost_  right about the amount of horses…. There were thirteen. Luckily, there were now four men down. So that meant nine to go.

One more man went down before the advancing party caught up to them and surrounded them.

The leader was scruffy, definitely not officer material. "Are you ready to hand over the royal?"

"Which one?" Mathias asked, glaring the man down. He had at least half a foot and infinitely more class than the man in front of him, but somehow that didn't seem to faze him.

"Why, Prince Nikolas, of course, though if I'm correct, we have Miss Princess Eliza here too." Emma growled softly at the mention of her princess.

"Never."

The man just shrugged, his grin growing. "Too bad." He looked to his men. "Attack."

Mathias pulled his axe off his back, the blade glinting in the light. This was enough to make a couple of the men back off a bit, letting their companions go first against the knight. Those not daunted rushed forward, one of them grabbing at the prince, who had drawn his saber, but he didn't last long. Nor did the one who went after the princess; he snatched her wrist, and she quickly stabbed his arm with the dagger that the knight had given her. Emma was quick to fire off a few more arrows, taking down a couple of the men and horses.

The leader of the group frowned at how well it was going for the other side and gestured to his man in the trees who took a deep breath, aimed at the target, and shot.

A cry rang out. "It would have been easier to just give the prince to me. Now look at this. Unnecessary suffering."

"I don't think that was an ordinary arrow… Feel his head."

"It was poisoned!" They gathered him up and put him in the saddle, forcing their way out. With the reduced numbers, it was fairly easy. But now it was losing the remaining members. Deep into the forest they went, riding faster and faster until they were far, far away.

So far, in fact, that the familiar cabin appeared in a clearing. Matthew saw his guests and walked over to greet them, starting to run when he realized that one of the party was injured. The uninjured man dropped from the saddle and pulled the other down. Mattie took one look at him and rushed everyone in, throwing the doors to his workplace open. "Everyone out." Mattie was serious, but one wouldn't go. "I'm sorry, but I can't have distractions right now." He ripped open the shirt of the man on his table.

"Mattie, I need to be here." But he allowed himself to be pushed to the doorway.

"He'll pull through. I know he will." The Belgian comforted her princess. Eliza just nodded, still trying to hide her worry.

That was when the other prince decided to make his appearance. "Hey Mattie, what's with -" He spotted the guests. "Oh. Why are all of you back? And what's with looking so freaked out?"

Mattie didn't even look up from grinding up a weird mixture. "I'm busy."

Gilbert looked around and spotted the princess, grinning. "With what?" He started strutting over. Emma turned a bit to get in the way, feeling protective of her lover.

"I'm working. We have a patient."

Hands in his pockets, still smirking at her, Gil stopped. "So how've you been, princess?" Eliza looked up, and Gilbert was hit with a rather intense glare. He just laughed. "Aw! What's the matter? Miss me?" Her voice would not betray her as she continued to say nothing. "Why are you here anyway? And who's your friend?"

"I'm Emma." Emma wasn't sure why the princess was so full of anger at the Prussian. Liz didn't really hate anyone as far as she knew. Somehow, Emma thought, this was different.

Elizaveta's voice finally made itself known. "Price Nikolas is injured."

"Ah, so that must be the patient. I was wondering where he went. So what'd he do? Get a little cut up?"

The Belgian frowned a little. "He's been poisoned. He was shot by a poisoned arrow through the shoulder."

The Prussian blinked. "Man."

Eliza's bitter voice joined again. "Why do you even care?"

Gil gave her a surprised look. "Jeez. What pissed you off, Lizzie?"

The look of absolute irritation slammed into Gilbert. "You." She really hated that nickname.

"What did I do?"

Liz raised a hand, ready to ream him out, but the blonde in the other room spun around. "If you're going to yell at him, take it outside." Call it mean, call it cold, but when Matthew had a patient in a condition like Nik's, he didn't mess around, and he hated being distracted. It made him more prone to mistakes, and that was something that he would not allow. His father had taught him that when it came to a person's life, mistakes were not acceptable.

The Hungarian kept a hold on Emma's hand and walked outside, the Prussian following behind. "Thanks a lot, Birdie…" he grumbled.

Eliza closed the door then crossed her arms over her chest. "Are you really that dense?!"

"Excuse me?" He raised his eyebrows at her. She shot back a look as if to say ' _you heard me, dummy_.' "Explain how the awesome me is dense."

She rolled her eyes to the heavens. "Did you ever stop to think about what would happen when you left without any warning?" Her words were full of venom.

He glared back a bit. "If I remember correctly, I wasn't wanted there anyway. Not that I wanted to be."

Emma watched the two of them, slowly gathering a picture.

Liz was close to stamping her foot in anger but knew that it would only make her look like a little girl. "You- Ugh!"

"Why does it matter anyway?" He was nearly yelling at her; the only thing holding him back was the slightly logical side of himself, telling him to hear her out.

"Because it's all your fault!"

Now that was confusing. "What is?! I have no idea what you're so mad about!" He took a step towards her.

She glared him down, voice lowering to a dangerously reasonable level. "Do you know what happens to a person when, as soon as her father makes a deal, the other runs off without a word?" His sudden silence told her he realized, his foot stopping short as he had started to take another step. "Get it?"

He looked away gruffly. "Roughly."

She walked the last couple of meters towards him, poking him in the chest forcefully. "My family shunned me for a month! Relations between our countries have been irreparably damaged! Your _mother_  publicly insulted me!  _I_  was blamed for you leaving! My people  _hated_  me! And it was  _ALL YOUR FAULT!"_ Her eyes glittered with bloodlust.

"Liz…." Came from behind her. Emma had had no idea, and the fact that her lover had kept this from her was not a nice surprise.

The Prussian sighed, putting hands on her shoulders and pushing her away. "Listen. I'm sorry that happened. But why do you think I left? I didn't want to marry you, and you obviously didn't like the idea either. You think it was all nice and easy for me? I'll tell you now, it wasn't, but I think in the end I did us both a huge favor."

She looked away. "You didn't even leave any indication why or where. Prince Ludwig was terrified, you know."

Gilbert's hands dropped. "Don't bring him into this."

"He's your brother!"

Gil clenched his hands into fists at his side. "What of it?" His glare was back.

"He misses you! He was terrified that you might have been kidnapped or hurt!" Gil shook his head, trying to forget. "Did you ever think to tell him you were leaving?"

"He would have tried to stop me." His usually loud voice was very quiet. He missed his family. A lot.

"Why  _did_  you leave?"

"I wasn't meant to be tied down to some princess who didn't want anything to do with me. I wanted to live my life how  _I_  wanted to. No princely duties, no princesses, no being told what to do or how to act. The awesome me is meant for something more awesome than all that. Besides, like you, I had someone out there for me who did want me."

They were both completely silent for five minutes straight until the princess broke it. "…I have news that will probably make you feel a little better about Ludwig."

Gil looked up, surprised. "What?"

"Do you remember that little Italian maid that your man Vash hired?" He was a cheery little guy, bouncy and slightly annoying sometimes, but cute and innocent. "Ludwig seems to be head over heels for the boy." Or as head over heels the hulking blonde could get. "Needless to say, your father was not the happiest when he heard this, but he still supports the prince." She sighed and glanced to the forest. It reminded her of the grove in the gardens. "I'll be back in a few hours, Emma. Please don't follow me." Pulling completely away from the eyes on her, both pairs, she walked into the trees.

Emma watched her go, worried, keeping her gaze on the spot where Elizaveta disappeared. "Want me to go after her?"

"But she said not to follow her." She paused. "I'm worried, though... After what happened to Nikolas."

Gilbert nodded. "I'll go watch out for her." He walked in, looking around.

Eliza had made her way through the tall pines and climbed up into one, realizing that being on the ground after what had happened, probably wasn't the best of ideas.

"Hey Princess! You want to let me know where you are?" She could hear his faint call and ignored it until he was nearly beneath her. "Yo, Princess!"

She waited a moment before responding. "I thought I said not to follow me."

He craned his head to look up at her. "It's not exactly safe out here right now, you know."

She nodded her head, brunette hair falling over her shoulders. "I do know."

Gil sat and leaned against the trunk. "You have Emma worried, too."

Eliza sighed softly, puffing the long bangs away from her face. "I wanted to think." There was no response from below. "It's happening again, you know..."

"Huh?" He glanced up.

"Father approved of another suitor, and that man is most likely going to end up running away with his lover... I don't mind the being left part… It's the aftermath. It will be worse this time." It was true. Her people might even think her cursed for her bad luck with suitors. Rumors would start, and suddenly she would be a witch or a whore. Either way, her father could not be expected to help her.

Gil picked up a stick and started drawing nonsense shapes in the dirt. "You could always leave, too."

"I've thought about it before. And I want to. Emma doesn't want me to throw it all away."

"Ever try to convince her otherwise?"

Eliza nodded. "Every time I see her."

"Have you asked her why not?"

"I'm almost afraid to hear the answer."

"There has to be something -"

"Maybe she doesn't want me around."

Gil frowned and threw a small rock at her, hitting her arm. "That's not it."

She frowned back. They had had conversations like this before. When he stayed with her in her castle, they hadn't gotten along per se, but she and he could talk. She would be in the gardens or the grove, sometimes even the training grounds, and he would sit near her. Somehow, they couldn't get along, but they could help each other. "What do you think then?"

"How should I know? I can't read minds. It doesn't take awesomeness like mine though to know that she loves you." It didn't seem to convince her. "Jeez. First Mathias, then you... If I have to solve the problems of one more couple, I'm going to drag Francis out of whatever hole he's in and make him do it."

She remained quiet then, "Don't look up." She started coming down.

"Huh, why?" Gil began looking up.

"I said don't look up!" she said, seeing the movement. "I'm coming down. I don't care if you're in a relationship; I still don't want you looking up my skirt."

He looked back in front of him, rolling his eyes. "Yeah, yeah." She dropped from the last branch and landed on her feet, brushing off her skirts. "Shall we?"

Liz nodded at him, and they started their walk back. "The awesome me will ask her for you if you don't." Gil grinned at her.

***mini transition***

"Why don't you want me to run away with you?"

"I've told you why. I don't want you to throw your life away like that."

"What if I don't want that life? What if the only life that matters to me is with you? Emma, I'm throwing away my life locked in that castle!"

A hesitation. "Eliza... But you would lose so much, and it's not as safe. And what if you change your mind?"

"I would never change my mind. If you don't want me around, I understand. I just need to know."

"What?! No! I love you, Eliza. I do. Really."

The Hungarian leaned forward to press a kiss to Emma's lips. "Then let me show you how much  _I_  love  _you."_

***mini transition***

Mat knelt by the bed, not seeming to see any reason to pull up a chair if that meant leaving his prince's side. "Mat…thias…." Mat could feel the gentle pressure of his lover squeezing his hand.

"I'm here, Nikolas. Right here." It was hard to see Nik like this. The Norwegian's indigo eyes, heavy with drugs and pain, slowly blinked open. "How are you feeling, kanin?" Nik started to say that he was fine, but a hand up from the Dane stopped him. "How are you  _really_  feeling?"

Nik hesitated. "I... hot... worn out... a little sick and sore..."

Mat brought the prince's hand up to his lips and lightly kissed it, wanting to give Nikolas some comfort. "Want me to see if Mattie can give you something to help?"

It was like he had been listening because Matthew walked back in, his soft voice permeating the room. "I'm sorry, I would have dosed you sooner, but I thought you would be asleep longer." Nikolas nodded at him. "Are you up to having a little to drink?" The gentle sound of grinding came from the corner of the room where Mattie had put himself, lighting the stove.

"Please."

"It will only take a minute. Mathias, can you help him up a little so we can add more support and he can sit up?"

Mat nodded and wrapped his arms around the man in the cot, lifting him up so more pillows could be added, then gently laying him back down.

The youngest in the trio started pouring hot water into a cup. "Do you like honey in your tea?" Nikolas bobbed his head in affirmation. "I suspect that it will be a couple days at the very least, and there's no way you'll be fit for travel in less than a week."

"They're too close for that…."

Mattie shook his head. "That's how long it should take." He handed Nik the mug. "Drink this."

"Besides, we're safe here. They won't be able to find us." Mathias smiled. "Drink a bit more, then try and get some sleep." Nikolas almost objected to the order but realized that, even if it wasn't from the person who was healing him, it was right.

He took a few more sips of his herbal tea and set it aside, closing his eyes to fall into a sleep.

All was quiet in the house.


	7. Knight and First Moves

Anyone who knows Princess Eliza very well knows that waking her up is extremely difficult. That is, unless you're a certain traveling merchant. "Mmm...Morning Eliza."

A very muffled "Morning Em..." came from beneath the covers. The Belgian wrapped her arms around the princess and held her tight. Liz just snuggled deeper into her and the warmth.

"We should get up, sleepy head."

"Really?"

"Mhmm."

"Today?"

"Of course, silly."

"Mmkay." There was no movement from her.

"Do I need to pull you out of bed?"

"I hope not." Emma smiled, knowing the snarkiness of her partner increased when she was tired.

"Hmm... I just might have to... or I could always do this…." The Belgian started tickling Liz's sides, causing her to squirm and laugh, trying to push her away.

"Stop!" Her laughing only increased.

"Ready to get up?"

"Yes!" She had to pause to laugh more. "Yes! Please stop!"

Emma smiled more and stopped, pressing a light kiss to the other's lips. "Good."

They both quickly dressed, smelling beginnings of breakfast. And as they walked into the kitchen they saw Matthew leaning against the counter with a mug of coffee and the Prussian making breakfast on the stove. "You guys ready for the most awesome breakfast ever?"

The blonde gave them a look that read ' _just play along_.' "I guess so... Are the other two not awake yet?"

Gil shrugged. "Don't know, but if not, they'll miss out." He pulled stuff out of the oven. "Prepare yourselves for the most awesome meal ever!"

They shut Gilbert up about his awesomeness while they sat, Mattie at one point getting up to bring Mathias a plate and make Nikolas more tea.

Cleaning the dishes was pretty easy with the amount of people they had. "Hey Mattie, I think I'm going to head out once I finish."

Matthew nodded, but Emma looked at him curiously. "You're leaving?"

"Just to look around. I think we're pretty safe out here, but it's better to know for sure."

The blonde male smiled a little at them. "Better safe than sorry, right?"

Gil finished up the last of the cleaning and kissed his lover's cheek. "I'll be back soon."

Mattie nodded again and watched him go. "Be safe." Gilbert couldn't allow himself to get hurt. Mattie could fix him, but the amount of worry he would go through in the process….

Emma handed the princess a mug of coffee, knowing she needed it. "How much of the land do you own?" Matthew laughed softly, confusing both girls. "Why are you laughing?"

"I don't own any land." He saw their even more confused expressions. "This cabin is in the middle of the woods. No one wants the land, and this cabin was built by a friend. Our life here is completely unrecorded."

"Doesn't it get a little lonely, though?"

A pause, and Mattie turned back to the stove to get more coffee for himself. "A little... but it would be worse in a city." Mattie hated cities like no other. They were loud, crowded, and dangerous. "My brother visits every once in a while, but Mathias sure visits a lot more. Perhaps maybe you two will drop by if you're ever in the area."

Eliza nodded. "Of course!" She thought for a moment. "Speaking of visitors, how many other patients do you get normally?"

Not many people in the area even knew he was there. Though, of course, there was the occasional story about him healing people with magic. "Maybe ten or fifteen a month. Usually it's small stuff, but there is the occasional tough one."

"Like Nikolas?" Mattie nodded. "He's doing better, right?"

"He's better than he was before you came to see me."

"Do you mind if I ask another question?"

The blonde laughed softly. He never got anyone asking him a ton of questions. "Not at all."

"Well I guess it's two, but how long have you been doing this, and how did you get into it?" The Hungarian was quite curious about it as well.

That one was easy to answer. "Well, when I was little, Alfred and Mathias and Berwald would always get into fights. I was the one to patch them up. I started learning about the medicines when I was twelve and finished my apprenticeship when I was fifteen. After that I just traveled a while. Three years."

"And then you met Gilbert?"

Mattie smiled at the memory. "Yeah... I stayed at his castle, per his request, for months. I thought I had done something wrong and he wanted me to serve some sort of punishment."

"So he eventually confessed, or...?" This time it was the princess asking.

Mattie laughed a little. "No, I tried to leave and I was literally dragged up to his personal chambers by him. I was terrified… but it was the exact opposite of what I had assumed."

"Really?"

Liz leaned in a little, finally waking up for real. "What happened?"

Mattie shrugged a little. "It's kind of a long story. I wouldn't want to bore you."

Emma frowned. "Oh, come on! I wanna hear it!"

Mattie laughed again, soft and kind. "Okay, okay... Let me see. I'll start from my 'escape' attempt." They both got settled. "So I was in the room that the crown Prince had provided me. I had to pick the lock, but I got the door open. I had my bag packed and I was ready, I wanted- no, I  _needed_  to get out. I  _needed_ to go see the world, had been trapped in there for a week and a half." He sighed softly at the memory. "It was dark and depressing in my room."

This surprised the Belgian. "You were trapped in there? That's cruel."

Mattie nodded; he had thought so too at the time. "At the time I hated the crown Prince, hated what he did to me, and hated that I could do nothing about it. So I left my room, bag in hand. I had just rounded the first corner when I saw a familiar face, pale skin, white hair, red eyes. I thought he would be furious. Scream and yell, throw me into a cell before I could blink." Both girls looked concerned and he smiled softly to reassure them. "He grabbed my wrist and started pulling me somewhere. I was spluttering out apologies left and right but he didn't seem to be listening. We got to a room, and I wondered why we had gone to such a nice one. I was hoping he wasn't trying to get me in a more secure room, and I wondered why he didn't want to let me go. It made no sense."

It wasn't like he had any patients at the time, either. "He pushed me down so I was sitting on the couch in front of the fire and he paced. Just paced, muttering to himself. A few times he would look over at me and there was something in his eyes that, at the time, I couldn't recognize. I sat there, confused for what seemed like an hour or two. Finally, just as it seemed like he was going to either wear a hole in the floor or explode, he stood in front of me, pulled me up sharply, looked me in the eyes, and kissed me." He touched his lips unconsciously. "I pushed him away, and he looked confused as to why I did, but when I tried to speak…."

He looked up again at the girls, and they both were listening intently.

"Nothing came out. I just gaped. He smirked at me and kissed me again. Though this time I slapped him away and got out of his arms. I yelled at him, 'What was that?' and 'Why would you do that?!' He sighed and literally his entire body sagged. It was like my reaction killed him or something."

Liz shook her head. "Because he felt rejected. Now you're making me pity him."

"I went back up to him and asked him why. He said he didn't know how to say it. So I told him to try. And he did. It took him all night, but he figured it out. And by that time I was starting to look him over. I had listened to him, and he was different than he let people see. I acknowledged that I liked him as a bit more than just friends, but I was scared, and by the end of the night I found he had fallen hard without me even noticing... He said he wanted to be with me, but I said no. I didn't want to be the little plaything of some prince." Gil had tried multiple times to just make him agree. Telling him that it didn't matter, that he just needed Mattie. And when he had told him that he had more respect than to be with Gilbert, it killed the light in those gorgeous red eyes.

"What did he do then?"

"I don't know... I told him I'd be in my rooms until the next day and then I would leave. I said I was sorry, so very sorry, but I wouldn't do it. I wouldn't degrade myself for him, and then I went back to my room. Early the next morning, when I woke up it was still dark out, but I grabbed my bag and headed for the stables. They still had my horse. I got quite a surprise.

"He was saddling my horse, another already done, his bags strapped on its saddle. He turned and saw me, and his face lit up like a flame. He walked up and wrapped his arms around me, resting our foreheads together, and he said, 'Matthew, I think I love you...'"

The Hungarian was nearly out of her seat. "And? What did you do?"

"I laughed. I laughed and I hugged him. He was bewildered, to say the least. He told me I would never be his toy, that he wanted to run away with me and promised that he would never hurt me in any way. I smiled and said, 'Let's go, then,' and we left. Right then and there."

"Aww! That's so sweet."

Mattie was still smiling to himself, remembering their travels. "How did you two meet?"

Liz smiled a little. "I think you'll like it." The Belgian nodded beside her. "About a year ago I was told that we were going to have a guest. A traveling merchant that was bringing goods from all over the world. It was so exciting, and I made a plan to coax her out to the gardens and interrogate her for every scrap of knowledge she had on the lands outside of our grounds."

Emma nudged her a little. "And it wasn't too hard to do, was it?"

Eliza's smile widened a bit. "No, but that came later." The blonde looked at them as if to say 'don't spare any detail.' "When she arrived, she brought gifts. A ruby necklace from Spain for the queen; a purple velvet cloak for the king - with gold stitching, from Germany, mind you; a new sword with a gilded hilt made by the druids of England for the prince; and a matching set of pink sapphire necklace, bracelet, earrings, and a circlet from Belgium for the princess." She touched her necklace gently in remembrance.

Mattie's eyes widened. "A bit lavish, don't you think?"

"I thought so as well, but at dinner she was incredibly impressive. Father loved her, and mother couldn't get enough. After dinner I asked if she might take a spin around the garden with me."

"And I agreed to. After all, I was a little curious about her, and it felt like we could at least be friends."

"I practically drilled her for things - anything at all about the world."

"And I gladly answered whatever I could."

Eliza laughed a little to herself. "I think she was a little bewildered as to why. We talked a lot. For  _hours,_  even. The guards had to come out and collect me, but I really didn't want to go."

"But we would talk later."

"Later that night I snuck down to her room. It was almost like I was drawn to her. I couldn't find a reason why or any incentive to leave. She was so sweet and kind, but it wasn't the pandering I got from other people. I was so happy that she didn't get mad or irritated with me."

"You did have me very curious, though."

"Me too. You would answer any question I threw at you but never asked any of your own."

The blonde piped in. "Why was that?"

"I didn't know what to ask or what I could. I was happy enough that she was next to me, and I didn't want to question her about something that'd make her leave."

They took each other's hands. "When the sun was rising over the horizon that morning, I had fallen asleep in her arms, though I'm still not completely sure how. Mei found us and shook us awake, scared like crazy that we would be caught in such a position, that Emma would be killed for 'restraining' me, that I would be killed for being with a woman. I tried to tell her that nothing happened, but I was still half-asleep, so I miscalculated when I tried to get up."

Emma was smiling at the memory, green eyes glittering with mischief, nodding a bit. "Mmmhmm." Mattie gave her a confused look.

"And with that little slip I lost my first kiss." He covered his mouth to stifle the laughs.

"Mei  _flipped out_. She was so happy, but she dragged me off, my hand over my mouth, blushing like crazy. My brother caught us as she took me to my rooms, and he was confused, so he stopped her and interrogated me until I told him I had to put decent clothes on. He let me go but kept an eye on me the rest of the day. Well, when he wasn't being harassed by that attendant of yours. What was his name again? He was that little Italian, mean to all men, cursed like a sailor? You know that one that your brother Antonio has an interest in?"

"You mean Lovino?"

Liz nodded. "Yeah! He bugged Roderich all day with ramblings about how he wasn't treating you right with his 'condescending' looks. Though… That's just Roderich's face. Either way, it kept him from me so I could drag her out into the gardens again. I was so embarrassed and was half spluttering anything I said."

Emma grinned at her. "You were so cute."

"She was so nice to me and eventually I said, 'We can just forget about that this morning. I promise I won't tell and we can just pretend it never happened.''"

"I didn't want to."

"I rambled on and on about how we should just forget it, say it never happened ever, that we should never mention it again."

"And I kissed her again to silence her."

Mattie was smiling right along with them. "That is incredibly adorable."

Gilbert burst in, interrupting the happy times. "Mattie! Grab anything important and stuff for Nikolas. We have to go."


	8. Knight and Runaway Wolves

Mattie knelt next to the youngest prince. "Nikolas? How are you feeling?" It had been two days since they had been run out of the cabin. So far they had avoided any contact with the enemy party, and as long as they could get to the castle before they caught up, they would be safe. Unfortunately, Nikolas was only getting worse, and without the stability of his office, Mattie couldn't do anything that would help in the long run.

"Sick... and my shoulder..." His skin was paler than usual, hot to the touch, especially near his shoulder.

"What kind of sick? Nausea? Achy?" He turned to the knight. "My pack off the horse, please."

Mat quickly brought it back for him with a skein of water. "Nauseous, headache, and hot..."

"I expected that. I'm so sorry, Nikolas... If we hadn't left, this wouldn't be happening."

They unwrapped the shoulder and winced. "Oh merde…"

Nikolas refused to look. "How bad?"

"Not great. I need a place for you to rest longer than we're able to out here. But it's easy to fix. I- I just wish we had time to fix this fully. It takes time, and until we reach your castle, that is impossible. All I can do right now is fend off the symptoms." Mattie washed out the area again, getting rid of all traces he could of any infection, then rewrapped the bandages around his shoulder. "I hope we can reach the castle by tonight…."

The Belgian nodded. "We should. I'll admit I am a little worried about how the king will react when we get there. Hopefully he'll understand…."

Eliza just shook her head, looking around at their group. "Best case scenario, Mathias gets fired."

Gilbert looked over from repacking his horse. "What do you think will happen?"

"We'll all be separated. Emma can probably stay with me. Mathieu will have to stay with Nikolas. Mathias will be brought before the king and punished for letting Nikolas be hurt, even though it wasn't his fault. Gilbert will either be recognized and the king will try to send him back or he won't be and will have to stay in the servants' quarters or the town."

Gilbert nodded. "I haven't met this king, so hopefully he won't figure it out. The servants' quarters aren't awesome, but if it keeps me in the castle with Mattie."

Emma watched them. "Somehow it will work out. It's not like we'll be trapped there forever, right?"

Mattie shook his head. "I don't ever want to be trapped in a castle again."

Mathias sighed, coming out with Nikolas in his arms, the prince back in a fitful sleep. "You won't be... The king will see the princess and probably end up sending her home with her "lady's maid." Mattie and Gil will be sent away as soon as Mattie finishes his job. I will be sent back to my country in shame. Nikolas will be forced to either marry or flee..." He put the prince in his saddle and started to put on his armor. Returning to the proper vestments for his station, he hopped onto his horse. "Let's get going."

Silently the group all mounted their own horses, not used to this resigned and serious Mathias.

Nikolas looked up at him, barely awake. "You're not leaving me." His voice was soft, barely heard over the stomping of the horses' hooves.

"Not even if they banish me." He held his Norwegian a bit tighter. "No matter what happens, just remember I love you. All of you."

As the shadows got longer and the sun started setting, the high castle of the Norwegian kingdom came closer and closer, and when they approached, they straightened themselves up – Nikolas especially; after the bit of rest he had, he was able to sit up straight and regal. Mathias's arms removed themselves from his waist, Elizaveta threw her leg over so she was riding side saddle, Emma combed her fingers through her hair, Mattie fixed his clothing, and Gilbert sat up a bit, trying not to look too dignified. Though, with him, it was hard to resist the urge every bit of his childhood training taught him.

When the castle drawbridge came into clear view, a guard spotted Prince Nikolas and immediately ordered it lowered for him and his party.

An attendant met them in the front hall after they dismounted and handed their horses over to the stable boys. "Your highness." He bowed to the prince. "We received word earlier today that you were returning. The king is waiting in the throne room when you are ready." He paused, noticing the prince wasn't looking quite right. "Prince, excuse me, but you are not looking so well. Should I have someone-"

"I'm fine." It nearly killed Mathias to see the blank look upon his lover's face. The look he had when they first met. The look of the "Heartless Prince Nikolas."

The attendant nodded a little. "If you shall follow me, then, I will announce your arrival."

They followed him into the large throne room, and at the sight of the king, bowed or – in the girl's case – curtsied. Nikolas's bow, however, was noticed as being shorter. "You were attacked." This king was not one of Mathias's favorites. Large, cheap, pitiless.

"We were."

"Who would dare?"

Mat responded this time. "King Silovice, Your Majesty."

The king didn't even look at him, his eyes trained on his son's shoulder. "And were you injured?"

"I'm fine, Father." He was trying very hard to look it.

But it wasn't going well. "Is that why you are bandaged?"

Nik's eyes lowered a bit. "...An arrow hit my shoulder, but I am fine."

The king's gaze swept over them, finding the youngest man of the group. "I assume the man without weapons is a healer you found?" Now this wasn't entirely true. Mattie had weapons and knew how to use them, but they weren't visible, and even if they had been, they would have looked like common healer's accessories.

Mattie nodded to the king. "I a-am, my l-lord."

"Go tend to my son. Princess, an attendant will show you and your handmaiden to your room. Sir Kohler, you will stay a moment."

Eliza curtsied again to the king as a young lady walked up. "This way, Princess." And the two girls of their group were gone.

Gilbert followed Mattie and Nikolas, helping Nikolas along, glancing back at the Dane. A Dane who looked like he was in a lot of trouble.

Nikolas hesitated outside the door and leaned against the wall just outside, Mattie putting up the pretext of checking him over so they could all hear.

"You have failed in your assignment, Sir. Do you have anything to say for yourself?" The king's voice rang through the room.

Mathias would be good. He would try very hard to be good and not speak out.  _Be Berwald_ , he thought to himself _. Act completely like stone_. "I am sorry, sire. We were surrounded."

"That is no excuse!" He was staring the knight down, eyes burning.

Mathias's eye twitched from the non-expression. "Please forgive my failure, sire."

"You let my son be injured! We will no longer require your services. Be gone."

Mathias's head snapped up, angry. Sure, he had been hurt, but the injury would be better soon! It wasn't fatal! "Perhaps if you told me that a certain king was after your son then I could have prepared better!" Mat cursed his big mouth.

"Insolence! Get away from my sight!" There were only a few things the king didn't tolerate. One of those was back talk. Mathias, gritting his teeth, bowed. "Leave this castle and never return!"

Mat stopped short. "You can't-!"

"Silence! Guards, take him away!" Five of the armored guards walked up to him and grabbed his arms, pulling him out.

"Wait! I have to-! Let go of me!"

Just behind the door, Mattie was holding back a very frustrated Norwegian prince. "I command you to let me go!"

Gil and Mattie shared a look, and Mattie reluctantly released him. "Just be smart."

Nikolas rushed off after them, careful not to be seen by many, following the sound of a protesting Dane. "You don't understand! I have to-"

One of the guards gagged him. "You're making a spectacle of yourself."

Nik caught up behind them. "Unhand him at once!"

The guards all turned and bowed, forcing Mathias to do the same. "I'm sorry, Your Highness, but your father the king has demanded this knight to be sent back to his own country."

Nikolas glared them down, and Mat could suddenly see the only resemblance between the prince and the king. "I command you to release him or you will be the one sent away."

The King Faere walked up. "Nikolas. What are you doing here? You are supposed to be with the healer."

Nikolas turned around to face his father. "Because... because this knight is being wrongfully punished, and I wished to speak with him."

The king raised an eyebrow. "A word of warning, my son – my word is law, and even you may not thwart it. The only wrongdoing is his, but you may speak with him once more before he is sent away."

"Of course. Thank you, Father, but may I do so without an audience?"

He nodded and the guards left. "You have five minutes, my son." And he left as well as the Dane pulled the gag out of his mouth, coughing.

"Mathias..."

"Hey." He smiled a little at his Norwegian.

"Don't 'hey' me, you idiot."

Mathias looked down sheepishly. "Sorry."

Nik walked up and rested his head on the taller man's chest. Arms wrapped around him, hugging him tight. "As soon as I can... I will leave…." Nikolas's voice was soft, so no one would hear.

"Mattie'll take you. Just tell him the wolf tackled the bear. He'll know what I mean, and no one else will." Just in case anyone overheard them, he wanted there to be no reason someone could follow his lover. "When you're well again." Nikolas nodded and quickly kissed him, then took a step back. Mathias bowed, smiling still. "Goodbye, Your Highness. It was an honor to be your knight, however short a time."

The king and guards walked back in. "Your five minutes are up."

"Goodbye, Sir Kohler." This time when the guards went after him, he stood up straight and started walking out on his own. One of them took a hold of his arm again, and he wrenched it away, keeping his head high.

Nikolas walked back to the healer and the other prince, finally collapsing after pushing himself way too hard. "Gil! Pick him up. Your Highness, which way to your rooms?" Gil quickly did so, worried a little.

"Third floor... south hall... the large doors." Mattie quickly started leading the way.

"I told you to be smart N-sire." He still wasn't used to having to use the Prince's title.

They opened the doors, and Nikolas was hurriedly placed on the bed, Mattie getting to work as fast as he could. "If you rest, stay in bed most of the time, and take medicine when told, you should be all better in a few days and even fit for travel in two weeks or so." He peeled away the bandages again, this time with more care. "Gil, can you go see if we can get some damp towels?" the Prussian nodded, going off. It was odd, but he had already gotten used to being Matthew's assistant with the harder cases he dealt with. "Nikolas? How're you doing?" Nikolas was silent. "Nikolas, please, I need an answer."

It took him a few moments to respond, swallowing hard. "...Worse...than before..."

*Awesome Transition*

It was two weeks later that the prince was able to be up and about again. He had gotten a pretty bad infection, but with Matthew's care, he had made an almost full recovery. He was ready for travel and was waiting for Mattie's go-ahead to start packing.

This was also the time that the prince was summoned to the throne room to speak with his father. "It seems King Alexis and I agree on something."

"And may I ask what that is?" He kept his eyes downcast.

"That you and the princess Eliza will be married and create a union between our countries." The king seemed pleased by this.

Nikolas's eyes widened a little, trying to figure out what to say and simultaneously plan his immediate escape plan. "I... Of course, Father..."

"Very good. You may go."

Nikolas walked very calmly out, then quickened his pace once out of the throne room. He burst into his room where the healer had been waiting since they had been talking before he was summoned. "The wolf tackled the bear."

Mattie looked puzzled for a moment and then sighed. "Oh great. Pack for a long journey. It's gonna take a while."

"Where's Gilbert?"

"Hiding in the stables." Nikolas nodded and grabbed a couple of bags from his wardrobe, pulling clothes out and stuffing them in. "Another servant freaked out and called him a demon, so he's been spending a lot of time with animals." He watched the Norwegian hurriedly pack. "We'll leave at nightfall. It'll be easier."

"Go get him and get ready."

"Yes, sire." He smiled a little at the prince and left, returning at nightfall with the Prussian.

"So we're finally going to?" Nikolas nodded at him. "Awesome. I've already had to wait way too unawesomely long." He paused. "So what are you going to do when you see him again?" Gil asked the Norwegian. "Are you going to rush up and hug him? Hold him close?" He pulled the healer into his arms, hugging him. "Whisper in his ear and tell him how much you missed him and love him?" He lowered his voice, speaking right past Mattie's ear. "Kiss him like this?" He kissed Matthew sweetly.

Nikolas, who had only half been paying attention, looked over and rolled his eyes at Gilbert's antics.

Mattie laughed. "But seriously, Nikolas, what do you think will happen?"

"He'll probably be his normal annoying self."

Gil grinned. "Either way, I'll be glad to be getting out again."

Matthew closed the doors to Nik's rooms. "Not done yet, Gil. One more castle before we go home."

"What? Really?" Mattie nodded.

"The trip is about two weeks."

Gil groaned. "That sounds so unawesomely long. Isn't there some shortcut or something?"

Mattie sighed. "That  _is_  the short cut."

"Man... I hope something awesome happens along the way."

"Like what?"

Gilbert shrugged. "I don't know...Like finding something awesome or running into an event at some town that we could mess with if it wasn't exciting enough."

Mattie reached up and patted him on the head. "You're really bored, aren't you?"

"I've been having to talk to animals, Mattie... though there is this awesome black stallion." Mattie shook his head slightly, incredulous.

Nikolas frowned a little. "Where are we going? I thought Mathias was Danish, meaning he would go back to Danmark…."

"We're headed to Finland." He glanced to Nikolas. "Looks like you get to meet Mathias's family."

Nikolas blinked. "Oh."


	9. Knight and Little Stranger

Finding a good camping spot in the woods wasn't very hard. They rode for a few hours heading north and stopped at a fairly small clearing, hoping that it wouldn't be seen as they rested. Mattie checked the prince's shoulder one more time, and as Nikolas put his shirt back on a crack was heard, echoing through the quiet space.

The crack wasn't loud, but it was loud enough. All eyes swiveled towards the noise.

It was a young boy. Very, very pale hair, almost white, shaggy and short, tired lilac eyes, round face, and roughed-up clothes. He wore a greyish-blue cloak and pants and a too-large white shirt covering his upper half. He held his hands up to show he meant no harm, and the healer rushed over to him. "Mon Dieu! Are you alright?" The boy stood there, staring for a moment, completely silent, and then he collapsed into Mattie's arms. "Gil, set up a bedroll. Nikolas, I need you to grab my bag." The two did as told as the healer started to check the boy for injury. He frowned a little at the sight of his exhausted face. "I recognize him from somewhere..." His voice wasn't above a whisper, and his companions ignored it.

Gil glanced over at his lover's concentrated face. "What's up, Mattie? Is he some kid you helped out or something?"

It seemed like Matthew didn't hear him. "Nikolas, who was that King after your head?"

"Silvoce. Why?" Nikolas watched his friend carefully. "His son was killed in battle due to my father's actions."

Mattie shook his head as if to say, "Never mind, then." Gilbert cocked his head to the side. "Who were you thinking he was, Mattie?"

"He has the most striking resemblance to the Prince Erik Silovice."

Gil stood quickly, "What? But he's supposed to be dead! Besides, if he were the prince, then we should probably leave before he wakes up or make sure he can't attack us."

Nikolas looked up at the Prussian. "He won't attack."

"Assuming he's the prince, maybe he's got some plan with the king. I'm just saying." Gilbert was nearly bouncing, and his lover knew it was just pent-up frustration from being holed up in the stables too long.

Nikolas sighed softly and looked the boy over; he seemed familiar to the prince as well. "Let's get the tents ready."

When all of them were put to bed and the boy settled in the tent with Nikolas, Gil could take a breather and finally examine his lover's face again. Mattie was thinking again. He was thinking quite hard on something. "What are you thinking about? The possible prince?"

"Why is it that all of these to-be kings and queens are running away? Is it the end of the monarchy? Or is it just that time? Why is it that  _we_  keep finding them?"

Gil shrugged. "I don't know. It could just be coincidence, for all we know. I don't think the monarchy will die just yet, though." He pulled the blonde close. "My goal is just for everyone to get out of this safe and happy. Awesome goal, right?"

Matthew smiled softly at the Prussian. "You are secretly a sap, did you know that?"

"I am not. I just know what I want." He grinned.

***Awesome transition to next morning***

A pale head poked out of the tent in the morning, observing the Norwegian prince and the healer sitting in front of the fire as the second made breakfast. Mattie noticed the movement. "Good morning. Would you like to join us?"

He was hesitant but came over and took a seat next to Nik, though not  _right_  next to him. He was still quite wary of the group. "So Erik, right?" Mattie asked, handing him a bowl of the porridge.

Surprise flickered across the boy's face, but he still said nothing. Nikolas noticed and turned slightly towards him. "We were told you were dead."

"I... no..."

Matthew gave him a reassuring smile. "Don't worry about any of us ever turning you in to Silovice. We're running too. Where are you headed?"

"Away. I don't know where... I was taken from the castle and escaped a few days ago. I've been running since."

Nikolas frowned slightly. "How long ago were you taken?"

"Around a month, I guess. I couldn't move past certain areas in the castle, so my sense of time isn't great... Everything kind of just blurred together."

This confused them both, but the healer recovered first. "You couldn't go places in your own castle?" Erik nodded a few times, taking a couple small bites of the breakfast.

Nikolas was staring at him. It was uncanny. "How old are you?"

"Twelve, almost thirteen."

Mattie nodded. "You are very young then. We are heading east, to Finland. Would you like to travel with us?"

"I... why? I'm a stranger."

Nik shook his head. "You're not."

Nikolas was only confusing the rest of the party, as he stared at the boy, examining him. "There's no reason for you not to." Mattie started. "One more prince won't make a difference in plans."

"One more?"

Mattie nodded at the boy. "Prince Gilbert Beilshmidt of the Kingdom of Germany and Prussia." He gestured to his lover. "And Prince Nikolas of the Norwegian Kingdom."

The Prussian grinned. "Awesome, right?"

But the boy ignored him, paying attention to the blonde man talking. "Then who are you?"

Matthew smiled gently. "Matthew Williams. I'm just a healer." He took another look at the tired boy and remembered. "Nothing special. But that reminds me, are you injured in any way?"

"Just a few scrapes. Everything else is mostly healed." Erik fidgeted in his place, feeling the piercing stare of the Norwegian prince. The question hung in the air. "Just a few sword-related wounds."

Matthew was appalled. "Who would do such a thing?" The fact that Erik was so young and had seen such cruelty was unacceptable.

"The men who kidnapped me. I'm not very good with swords, either, so I got hurt in training a lot, but that was before I was taken."

Mattie was about to say something but was cut off by a worried Nikolas. "You sure they're healed? You're not lying?" It was surprising to all, but Erik nodded at the prince.

The healer knew something was up with Nikolas but ignored it in favor of checking on the youngest prince. "Are any of the wounds still scabbing or bleeding?"

"On my back, but it's okay. It doesn't hurt."

Nikolas shared a look with the healer of the group. "Of course. Come with me, Erik." He held out a hand. "Let's make sure it's nothing serious."

Erik hesitantly took his hand but was easily led back into the tent, where the blonde saw to the mostly healed jagged wound.

Gil nudged the other prince. "So what's with being so worried about him?"

But he was brushed off easily. "Nothing." When the two returned from the tent, Nikolas examined both faces, trying to find anything to be worried about. "Better now?" The Icelander nodded once. "Good."

As the older ones in the group began to pack up the horses once again, the boy watched. "Why are you going to Finland?"

Nikolas didn't even hesitate. "Mathias is there." A questioning look from the boy prompted more response. "My knight and lover."

"Why is he in Finland?"

"...I got injured when his job was to protect me, and my father sent him away..." Erik was visibly affected by the tone of sadness in his voice and was about to say something, but the older cut him off. "I'm fine. I just want to get there."

Gilbert picked the boy up and put him on Nikolas's horse, the Norwegian easily climbing on behind. There was still something weighing on the boy, though. Something they could all tell was giving him trouble. "Tell me what's on your mind."

Erik looked up at him, not sure how he could tell. "I just- I know you... I think..."

"You  _both_  seem to know each other." Gil interjected. "Nik, you're acting like you're his big brother or something. And you, kid, you seem to trust him the most. So what is it?" They both looked at him in surprise. "What?"

Nikolas dropped the Prussian's gaze. "I had a brother, but he was taken on my ninth birthday when he was three." Mattie was about to interject, but Nik cut him off by speaking again. "But you're Silovice's son."

"...It doesn't feel like it," Erik responded softly.

Here was where Mattie could put in his own opinion. "No one ever saw the prince until he was six in his country." He watched their reactions. "In fact, most didn't even know a prince had been born until the news of his 'death' got out."

Gilbert grinned. "Just accept it. Everything fits." Without a word, an arm tightened around the boy in the best hug he could give while still in the saddle. "The awesome me is awesome. I got the brothers reunited."

The two on the saddle ignored him, Erik whispering a soft, "Brother?"

Mattie poked his lover in the side. "Gil, don't intrude on their moment."

"Fine. Pretty awesome that after almost ten years they're back together, though, and we got to help." Red eyes grinned at the blonde.

"It is nice, Gil, and I'm sure they appreciate it, but right now it's the processing stage of their reunion."

Erik settled into his older brother's comforting hold. "What is our real father like?"

"He's wise but hot tempered. He's a good king though, just- I wish he could accept who I love."

"King Faere is very," Mattie searched for the best word he could use, " _protective_  of Nikolas."

"What do you mean?"

"I was very limited as to what I could do and when, for one thing."

"And," Matthew started. "The moment he saw Nikolas was hurt, he denounced Mathias and sent him away on the spot."

Erik looked back and forth between his brother and the other blonde. "I want to meet him." The Norwegian nodded as if to say, 'you will.'

"On the way back, if you and Mat end up staying there, Gil and I can take him."

Gil looked up again. "We can what now?"

"Take him to his father, Gil."

His lover gave him a disbelieving look. "Well, yeah, but we kind of disappeared with his son. Don't you think there might be trouble with that?"

"You don't have to go in. He won't recognize me; no one ever does." It was true. Most didn't realize that he was there in the room if he didn't want them to, and when he left a place, those there rarely remembered much about him, if anything at all. Mattie reached out and took the Prussian prince's hand, knowing the concerned look that was starting to spread across his alabaster face.

Erik glanced up at his brother as best he could. "I want to meet this Mathias too."

Nikolas nodded, wanting to see his lover as well. "We'll be there soon." But it was more for himself than for the young boy.

"What is he like?" For a man like Nikolas, Erik imagined a very refined, very quiet person, to match the Norwegian.

Nikolas smiled a tiny smile. "He's an idiot."

Gilbert laughed out at that. "He's completely head over heels for Nikolas."

This confused the little Icelander. "Why do you love him?"

"Because."

Mattie squeezed his Prussian's hand. "Love doesn't have to make sense. Love just is." Gilbert pressed back, grinning at his blonde. "I hope you find someone you love when you get a bit older, Erik. It is the best feeling."

"No, it's the awesomest feeling!"

Nikolas nodded, smiling very slightly at his little brother. Yeah. It really was the awesomest feeling.


	10. Knight and Birdie

A small blonde man sat on the throne, adorned in light blue robes, an easy smile on his face, a small white dog asleep in a little red bed next to the ornate throne. "So we now have Prince Erik of Iceland, Prince Gilbert of the German kingdom, and Prince Nikolas of Norway as well as a healer, Matthew Williams, correct?"

"Full title would be the awesome Prince Gilbert, but that'll work for now," Gil corrected.

"I'd like to welcome you to my castle. I am Prince Tino Vainamoinen." He made a gesture toward his attendants. "Well, I'll have an attendant show you to your rooms. I believe, Prince Gilbert, that you will request a room with Matthew, correct?" He smiled knowingly at the couple.

"No question there." Gilbert grinned. "How'd you know?"

"It's obvious. And it shall be done." He looked at the youngest of the group and nodded to his attendant. "Send him to be taken care of. Baths, new clothes, the whole thing." The attendants led all but the Norwegian away. "Prince Nikolas? May I speak with you a moment? If you do not mind, that is."

Nikolas nodded, curious.

"I understand you have come here to seek a knight of my court?" Nikolas, although he'd never admit it, ached to see the Dane again. Tino seemed to read his silence and the look in his eyes as a yes. "He is in the courtyard if you still seek him." He pointed to the doorway where light shined.

"Thank you." He tried to keep his decorum, but when he reached the doorway and spotted the top of the sitting knight's head, he stopped. "Mathias…" Nikolas breathed.

Mathias looked up at the sound and stood immediately. "Nikolas!" He rushed over and pulled the man into his arms, hugging him tightly. Nik's arms wrapped around his neck, pressing his face into the man's chest, breathing him in once again. Mat pulled back only for a second to press kisses all over his lover's face, so happy to see him and be able to hold him once again.

"Idiot." Nikolas smiled softly. Mat shook his head and pressed his lips against the other's, feeling like he was at home once again.

"I missed you so much, Nikolas."

"I missed you too."

Mathias hugged him tight again. "How was the trip? Are you okay? Did you get hurt? Did you meet anyone fun on the road? Were Mattie and Gil good to you? Did Gil piss you off too much? Was Mattie able to rein him in? Are you hungry? Did you eat well?"

Nikolas couldn't help but hold his tiny smile at his lover. "Calm down, idiot. I'm fine, and so are the others, including my brother."

The Dane cocked his head to the side. "Your brother?" His tone showed just how confused that statement made him. "You said you didn't have siblings."

"Because I didn't want to bring it up. He was taken when he was young, and I partially blamed myself for it." Mat nodded a few times. "You should know, though, that he is king Silovice's 'dead' prince. His name is Erik."

"Okay, your trip was way more interesting than mine."

Nikolas nodded, pulling himself closer to his lover. "Speaking of which, how have you been?"

"Missing you nonstop."

***Mini transition***

"Hi Erik! It's great to meet you."

The Icelandic boy stared up at the knight, completely silent, eyes scrutinizing. "Say hi," his older brother said softly.

"Hi." The boy's voice was similar to Nikolas's. Mathias could see resemblance in more than a couple features.

"Crazy that you two found each other after all this time." Nikolas smiled a small smile and nodded. Erik just stared at the Dane, unsettling him. "So Erik, what do you like to do?" He asked, trying to connect with the young prince, even a little. If he was with this guy's older brother, Mathias was going to have to act like an older brother too.

"Not much." The boy paused before Nik gestured for him to continue. "I guess reading, playing viola, and being with Nikolas."

Mathias smiled; he could understand the want to be around Nikolas. He enjoyed it a lot himself. "Your brother is pretty amazing, huh?"

Erik turned his eyes to his older brother. "What are we going to do now?"

"We'll just be taking it easy until other plans are made."

Erik bobbed his head a little, but worry began to creep up on him. The nice blonde man, Matthew, and the annoying one, Gilbert, had offered to take him back to his real parents. Matthew claimed it was on their way back home anyway and they didn't mind him coming along. Nikolas had just sat there during that conversation. What if he wanted Erik gone? What if he really didn't want his little brother back? "You won't make me leave with them, right?" His voice was softer. Scared.

"No. Not if you don't want to." Nikolas examined the younger man's face, seeming to read his thoughts. "It will all work out somehow."

The Icelander looked between his brother and the knight, a thought forming. "Mathias? How far away is your room?"

Mat blinked a moment, startled by the question. "At the end of the hall, I believe, last one on the left."

"It won't be too hard for you to say goodnight to my brother, then, before you go to bed," Erik said, a bit smug, suggesting that Nikolas would be staying with him and not the Dane.

Nikolas shook his head, though. "I'll be staying with Mathias."

"But…."

"Like you said, it's not hard to say goodnight. We won't be that far if you really needed me." Mathias wisely stayed silent, not wanting to say something stupid. Erik was quiet as well, pouting a little. "I'm not changing my mind unless this idiot gives me any reason to."

The knight gave his lover a 'what did I do?!' look, but the lover ignored it.

Dinner was called throughout the castle, and the trio made their way back to the main dining hall with the assistance of the Dane.

"So," The Prussian prince drawled as they entered. "How did the reunion go? Was it what you had imagined?"

Mattie quickly shushed his lover. "Gil, hush. That's personal."

"I still want to know if my guesses were close, though."

Nikolas shook his head, but Mat was intrigued. "Guesses?"

The Norwegian gestured for his little brother to sit as he explained. "He tried to guess what I thought would happen."

"Why?"

Gilbert gave the knight a look. "You know how boring it gets when you're stuck in a homophobic castle for two weeks? I had to spend time with the animals because someone freaked out and called me a demon! The awesome me is not a demon!"

Mathias chuckled. "That explains the bird then."

The Prussian looked at him funny. "What bird?"

Nikolas glanced over to the albino. "On your head." Erik nodded in agreement as he noticed the bird sitting in the white hair.

"There is no bird on my head!"

Mattie gently placed a hand on his arm. "Gil. You have a little yellow bird in your hair."

"No there is-" White hands reached up into his hair and was startled by the texture that was definitely not his hair. "Why is there a bird on my head?!" Matthew laughed gently and stroked the little guy's feathers. Gilbert paused, trying to look up at it, then cupped his hands underneath it, taking it off so he could look at the little yellow puffball. He grinned, and held him a bit closer. "Gilbird. It chose to escape with the awesome me and stayed hidden this long, so it gets an awesome name."

Mattie could only coo softly at how cute he found the little bird when Erik spoke up. "Puffins are better."

Mathias nodded and was about to agree when Nikolas interrupted him. "Will Tino and your brother be joining us?" Another nod and, like they had been waiting for a cue, the Prince Tino walked in, a hulking blonde man on his arm. Crude glasses sat upon his nose and covered his piercing eyes.

The Norwegian could certainly see the resemblance between the man and his lover. The stature was very similar, and the glint in his eyes was something Nikolas knew he could catch in Mathias's own eyes. Their facial structure was also very much alike.

The Norwegian could think this man handsome but not attractive to his own tastes. That didn't seem to be an issue for the little Finn, however. "Hey, you two." Mathias smiled at them from his spot.

The whole party stood, and Tino ushered them back into their seats. "No need, no need. Nearly everyone here is the same in rank, and if they aren't, I certainly don't care what they think they are." Now, he had a specific reason for saying this. Tino had grown up with all of them: Mathias, Berwald, Matthew, Alfred. And he was a bit older and a bit more like an older sibling or a, dare he say it, mothering figure, to the twins, who were, in his defense, quite a few years younger. But beyond that, he had never treated either of the twins as less than equal. His father had taught him that all people were, and some were just born luckier than others.

Mathias grinned wide and swept an arm out, presenting. "Nikolas, Erik, Gilbert," He gestured to each in turn. "Meet the crown prince of Finland, Tino, and his personal knight, lover, and most importantly, my brother, Berwald." He gestured to the party, looking straight at his brother. "Ber, Tino, meet my lover Nikolas, his younger brother Erik, and Mattie's lover Gilbert."

Nikolas bowed to the prince and the man. "It's good to finally meet."

Berwald's low grumble came as he sat next to his prince. "Yes. It is. I have heard many things."

Whether those were good or bad was really not able to be determined. Mat just shrugged, knowing the secrets to his brother's speech and mannerisms, obviously not troubled by anything said or seen.

The others seemed to take this as a good sign, and a motion from the Finn was the cue for the servants waiting nearby to serve the meal.

"Nikolas, Erik, how was your trip?" Tino had heard from the healer already but wanted to make sure that the other two travelers were recovering from the hard road.

"Uneventful for the most part, though I was reunited with my brother because of it." Nikolas looked around the room subtly. "I assume you know about the men chasing me?"

Tension made its way into the room. The Finnish Prince took this very seriously. "Mathias told us all about it, and we have taken precautions. Many, many precautions."

"So!" Gilbert started after a long moment of silence. "What about you two?" He gestured to the couple at the head of the table. "Care to share how that happened? How did you get together?"

Mathias groaned. "Gil. Seriously?"

Tino laughed, knowing how many times the Dane had heard their long story of awkwardness and crushes. So simply, he just replied with, "Childhood romance."

Erik and Nikolas finished their food first, probably because they didn't speak much. The elder of the two noticed the boy's eyes drooping. "I'll be back. I'm going to get Erik to bed."

"'M okay" the boy protested, rubbing at one eye.

The peppiest of the princes smiled at him. "Go get some rest; you've had a long day."

Slowly, the room emptied, leaving Berwald and Tino to themselves. It was nice to have a full castle again.

Mathias was changing out of his day wear when delicate arms wrapped around him from behind, hugging him. Mat smiled and turned around, his own arms cocooning the Norwegian. "It took too long to get here." Nikolas took his hands and pulled him over to the plush bed, maneuvering the Dane around him once more. "Mathias?" A second of pause before he continued. "What would you have done if I hadn't been able to come back?"

Without a hint of hesitation, the Dane tightened his arms. "I would have gone to your castle and stolen you away."

"What if something had happened to me?"

"Hurt or killed?"

"The latter."

"I don't know what I would have done. My life would never have been the same." He didn't even want to think of a life without his love.

They lay there in each other's holds, just so relieved to finally have a moment alone, together. To be able to hold one another again.

A little voice piped up from the cracked open doorway. "N-Nikolas? I... had a bad dream." Nikolas sat up and the boy ran to him, latching on to him. "I want to stay with you tonight." Nikolas nodded while the Dane watched, concerned for Erik.

Until, that is, the boy's face set on the Dane, a smirk on his lips. Mathias's jaw dropped. Erik was faking? What a brat!

Nikolas helped his brother onto the bed, and Erik promptly got in between the two adults. Mat was just barely able to resist narrowing his eyes at the boy. Erik looked up at him innocently, a gleam of the mischief still in his eyes. "You know," Mathias started, looking for a way to distract the boy, "when I was little and had a bad dream, my brother and I would go out and look at star constellations, and he'd tell me stories until I got tired." Erik tried to stop his curiosity but was unable to help it. "Do you want to try that? **"**

A small nod came from the Icelander, and Nikolas wrapped him up in a blanket as they went out to the balcony, pushing past the glass doors and curtains. "Now look up at the sky. What do you see?"

Mathias saw a story.


	11. Knight and Balance Master

The little Icelander woke up slowly, rubbing at his eyes. He pulled out of his brother's hold and looked at the couple in the bed, glaring at the Dane. Erik reached over and starting shaking the older man awake, even going so far as to shove Mat's head away.

That woke him up with a jolt. "You okay, Erik?" His voice was still sleepy.

Erik's whispered voice came through and was processed by Mathias's sleep-fuzzy brain. "Wake up and stop disturbing Nikolas's sleep."

"Whaddya mean?" He paused, sitting up a little. "Is something wrong?"

Erik shook his head. "No... I don't know... not with him, anyway."

"Are  _you_  okay?"

A little sniffle came from the boy. "I... I wasn't lying when I said I had a bad dream."

Mathias gently removed his arms from around his lover, trying not to wake him up, then grabbed a spare blanket and wrapped the boy in it, picking him up and bringing him out on the balcony on which they had listened to stories the night previous. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"You're going to take care of him, right? You won't let anything happen?"

Mathias nodded, kneeling down to the boy's level. "I would never let anything happen while I am able to stop it."

Erik sat down, pulling his knees to his chest. "But what if you can't? What if you're defenseless? What if you have to just stand there and watch, unable to do anything?"

Mat was surprised by this and placed a hand on his shoulder, rubbing it comfortingly. "Hey, I can promise that even if I am defenseless, I would fight until they killed me before I let anyone or anything hurt him."

The boy started shaking a little. "But what if I was the one standing there and you were nowhere close? I... I don't want to see that! I don't want to have to watch him get killed...! I... I…."

Mathias nodded a little, knowing what the boy was going through. "Let's ask Nikolas, and we'll see if I can teach you a little about fighting. I'm sure you learned some already, but considering Silovice didn't want you escaping, you probably weren't taught much." The little Icelander nodded. "It'll all be okay, Erik. The fight is almost over, and all of us will be able to stop running and go back to our true home."

"Ask him if you can teach me."

Mat shook his head. "Erik, if you want to do this, you need to ask him yourself. So he knows that it's what you want."

Nikolas walked out, joining them. "So I know that what is what he wants?"

"I want Mathias to train me."

This surprised the older brother. "Why?"

"I just want to be able to fight just in case."

Nikolas frowned at the boy. "If Silovice's men come, you're not fighting them." He would be sure of that.

Erik really wanted this. "But what if it's just to defend myself?"

As the guardian of the Icelander, Nikolas really wanted to be able to protect him. He couldn't stand the way his little brother looked. It was hard to see the fear in Erik's eyes. "Then I guess it's fine, but you must promise to use it only for defense." Nikolas looked at his lover. "You'll start with basics. You master those, and then we'll talk."

Erik was about to protest, but Mat put a hand on his shoulder. "Erik, I can assure you that the basics are what keep you safe. All of those puffed-up soldiers all think they know so many fancy moves, but they forget basic maneuvers and positions. That is one of the reasons they never make it to Capitan or General."

Erik paused, then nodded. "When can we start?"

Nikolas looked at the two. "Mathias. Teach me how to cook."

Well, Mathias had a long day ahead of him. A  _long_  day.

***Mini transition***

Mathias picked up a couple of training dummies and a sword meant for new recruits. "So, contrary to your probable belief, I am  _not_  going to let you even touch one of these" – he held up a sword – "for the first entire day."

Erik frowned at the man in front of him. "Why not?

"Because you have to learn first."

"I've learned a little already at the castle, though."

Mat's eyebrow raised. "What did you learn?"

"Just some basics." Now Erik wouldn't meet his gaze.

"What did you learn?" The boy looked down. "Yeah. That's what I thought. Okay, Erik, just remember, I can't teach you something you already know, but don't make yourself or your old teachers look like a fool by claiming knowledge you don't have. It doesn't help."

Mathias set the boy up properly and showed him how to hold himself, moving him constantly, actually sounding like the knight he was. "When you punch, don't move your feet, just your upper torso."

"Right." A man cried out near Nikolas, getting punched in the gut.

Mathias blinked. "Good job?"

"He was getting too close." Nik hadn't even bothered to look up from his book.

Mathias just shrugged and turned back to the Icelander. "So try again, Erik." He did, punching Mat in the chest again. "Much better. Have you ever kicked anyone? As a smaller child, when frustrated?"

"Of course." He had also gotten in a ton of trouble for doing so.

"Don't do it, ever. It's very ineffective. Most military men cover their knees, and that's where kicks end up going." The boy nodded, and they worked on stances and hand-to-hand combat things.

"Okay. Good job so far." Mathias put his sword back into his sheath. "Nikolas, are you ready for your lesson?"

The Norwegian sighed and closed his book. "I guess."

"Erik, do you want to watch and maybe learn a couple things that way?" Erik nodded. "Then follow me!"

Both brothers followed the Dane, a few steps behind. Nikolas looked at the younger as they walked. "Good job."

"Thank you." Erik glanced up at the knight who was whistling softly, pretending not to listen in. "He's a good teacher, I guess. I want to use a sword, though."

Nikolas shook his head. "Take your time. He has the right idea."

They arrived at the kitchens, and Mathias held up a hand to stop them from going in. "You guys wait here a moment. I have to go do a quick 'hey, haven't seen you in like three years' thing and make sure we can actually borrow part of the kitchens."

Nikolas nodded. "There's no reason to rush, anyway. Hopefully Silovice's men won't track us down anytime soon, and if they do, they can be held off by whatever Tino has planned."

Erik was more worried than that. "But what if..."

A shake of his head. "It'll be fine. Just follow his lessons and don't rush."

Mat's head poked out of the door, pleasant laughter floating from inside. "We're good. Come on in." He was certainly smiling. The brothers walked in, looking all around. "Guys, this is Feliciano. He is the cook here, and he is letting us use a part of his kitchen for the lessons." He turned to the little copper-headed Italian. "Feli, this is Nikolas and his younger brother Erik."

"It's wonderful to meet you, ve~!"

Mat leaned against one of the counters. "So do you think we could make some halibut and then make Danishes?"

"Of course! it will be easy and fun, ve~! Do you want any help?"

Mat gave him his usual winning grin. "Sure, Feli. Do you think you can find the ingredients for us?"

The Italian happily bounced off to do so, and Mat's smile dropped. "Guys." Mathias's generally loud voice was lowered to nearly a whisper. "I think Prince Ludwig may be near here. You know, Gil's younger brother?"


	12. Knight and Little Brother

Mathias kept the Italian sitting with a stern look. "So what brings you here, Feli?"

Feliciano shook his head, looking worried. Nikolas stood next to his lover. "Are you on the run too? Or do you have another reason?"

"Please," Feliciano begged. "I was told not to tell." Both adults kept up a hard look until the little redhead broke down. "Okay!" He sighed softly. "Luddy will be so mad that I told you. We heard Prince Gilbert was in the area."

"Feli, do you know why Gil left?" Feliciano shook his head. "He fell in love."

Feliciano brightened considerably. "That is amazing! I never would have guessed! Is he here?"

They all nodded. Mathias looked over at his prince. "We should probably go find Gil, tell him that his brother is here."

Nikolas nodded and they left, Erik having wandered off already, bored. "Hopefully their reunion will go smoothly. Though I doubt it." Feliciano looked like he wanted to follow but was busy with another cook in the kitchen.

Mathias grimaced but spotted the Prussian prince soon enough. "Gil!"

Gilbert turned, grinning when he saw the couple. "Hey Mat! What's up? Enjoying making up lost time?"

"Gil, serious time," Mat started. "Feli is here. Which means, so is Ludwig."

Gilbert's already pale skin went even whiter, if possible. "I... uh... crap. He's going to kill me." He laughed nervously and ran a hand through his white hair. "Maybe I should just hide. Forever."

Nikolas shook his head. "You should talk to him."

"But I'm too awesome to die!"

Nikolas interjected, shaking his head slowly. "I don't think he'd come all this way to kill you, Gilbert."

"Gilbert!" The blonde healer walked over, seeing the group. He was smiling until he saw the Prussian's face. "What's wrong?"

"I'd say goodbye to me now. I'm doomed. My brother's here."

"He'll be happy to see you, right?" Mattie remembered the other prince from the Germanic kingdoms. Not a fun thing to remember.

"We'll see." Gilbert took his lover's hand tightly.

"Prince Gilbert!" The little Italian cook came running at the Prussian, tackling him with a hug.

Gilbert laughed, and Mathias turned to his lover. "How does everyone keep finding us? It's not a small castle." Nikolas shrugged.

"How've you been, Feli?"

Feliciano pulled away a little, smiling at his lover's older brother. "Happy. I mean- worried about you, too, but really, really happy!"

Gilbert laughed again, ruffling the red hair on the boy's head. "You're always happy. How's West been?" Gil worried a lot about his little brother. He didn't want to bring it up much, but sometimes he had to wonder if his brother missed him as much as he did Ludwig.

"He's been better." Gilbert didn't know what to say to Feli. "I suppose he's been happy at points, but he misses you!" The albino was poked hard in the chest. "Oh, we have to get you to Luddy!" Feliciano grabbed the Prussian's hand and started dragging him toward the housing area of the castle. Gilbert quickly snatched his lover's hand and pulled him along.

The Danish knight looked at Nikolas, and they both shrugged and followed the Italian.

They were all taken to a room near the end of the cooking staff's housing hall. "Luddy!" Feli burst into the room.

"Yes, Feliciano?" A young man sat in one of the chairs by the fire, reading a book. This man looked nothing like Gilbert. He was a lot taller, his hair was shockingly blonde and slicked back, and his skin was nearly as pale, but his build was much larger. He had wide-set shoulders that melded into an equally wide-set chest.

"Hey, West."

Ludwig's head shot up from his book. "Bruder?" He sounded unsure, as if he couldn't believe that he had actually found him. Gilbert nodded once. Ludwig got up, his book falling to the ground as he crossed the room to hug him tight for a moment. "East." He pulled away, looking the Prussian over. "Where have you been!?"

"I fell in love, West. I wasn't meant to rule, anyway. The awesome me shouldn't be confined to a castle."

Ludwig frowned. He needed his brother to come home. "It's your throne, your crown. You were meant to rule."

Gilbert pushed his brother back a little. "You take it. I'd rather just continue my awesome life like it is now."

Ludwig shook his head, grabbing the Prussian by the shoulders. "I don't want your crown, bruder! Vati and I both know it's not for me. The only one who can rule your kingdom is you! Vati even got over the fact that you did not want to marry a princess! He got over it when I didn't."

Gil sighed and looked at his lover. "What do you think?"

Mattie's voice was almost softer than usual. "You need to do what you need to do."

"I'm going to do what you want me to."

"Gil. I love you, and you know that. I want you to do what  _you_  want to do. I want you to do what you have to, what you need to do."

Gilbert looked all around at his friends and family at that. He took a deep breath and grinned. "Guess I'm going to be king then." Gil pulled away from his brother and grabbed his lover, wrapping his arms around him tight. "It'll only be an awesome kingdom if I have my awesome queen, though." Mattie smiled a bit at him. Castles weren't for Matthew, but he could do it for Gilbert.

"When are you going to be able to go back home, East?" Gilbert looked over at his little brother. and the German man continued. "I need to know so I can plan out everything."

"Luddy, you can be so stuffy. Let yourself enjoy the vacation while you are here. You need to relax and just go with the flow. I need to go" – Gilbert grinned at his lover suggestively – "talk with my future queen, anyway."

Nikolas looked over to his own lover. "I should go find my brother. We left without saying anything."

"Now he'll have more of a reason to be mad at me." Mathias glanced at the others. "Please excuse us."

The Dane sighed as they left, heading back toward the kitchens. "I'm sure if you two just talk, you can sort things out."

"I really hope so." They looked all around the kitchens and the area surrounding, finally finding the boy in a corner under a window, a puffin sitting next to him.

"Erik?"

The boy didn't even look up. "You left me."

"I know, I'm sorry, but we came back -"

"He made you, didn't he?" Erik's head rose to glare at the Dane.

Nikolas shook his head. "No, Erik-"

"Don't defend him. You wouldn't have just left me."

Mathias sighed and took a step forward. "Yeah, it was my fault. I'm sorry. I wanted to make sure that Gilbert knew that his brother was here."

Erik stood up, holding his puffin to his chest. "You didn't have to take Nikolas to do it."

"Erik. Don't be upset with him for things you don't like. I went by choice." The Norwegian watched his little brother's silent glare. "Go to your room. I'll be up to talk with you later."

"But-!"

Nikolas held up a hand. "Go, Erik." The little Icelander glared for a moment longer, obviously blaming the Dane for it, then ran out of the hall and to his room. Nikolas sighed and leaned on his lover. "Give him a few minutes, then go up and talk with him."

They made plans to meet in the library when Mathias was done and separated. Mat walked over to the Icelander's room, knocking on the heavy door solidly. "Come in."

"Erik. We need to talk." The Dane closed the door behind him, seeing the boy on his bed look up in surprise at the sound of his voice, having expected Nikolas. "Niko asked me to talk to you because we are both curious as to why you hate me. It worries him. And it worries me."

Erik frowned and turned away. "So I'll talk with him then. Not you."

"No, Erik. You're going to tell me." The knight's voice was unusually stern. "If you talk to Nikolas, I have a feeling that you won't be entirely truthful with him."

Erik huffed angrily. "You're wrong. You know nothing about me."

"Then tell me what you would tell him. Prove me wrong. Pretend I were him. Tell me exactly what you would tell him."

The boy sighed and was silent for more than a couple minutes. "I don't like it."

"You don't like what?"

"You together."

"Why?" He saw Erik start to say something noncommittal and stopped him. "You have to have a reason, and neither of us is leaving this room until you tell me." Mathias leaned against the door lazily. The boy started to mutter an irritated response and still refused to face the Dane. "What was that?"

"He's my brother... you're always with him... and it's not fair."

"What do you mean?" He paused, letting it all in, no longer quite believing what he heard. "Wait, are you telling me that all of that resentment was the fact that I spend time with him, and you haven't decided that you can be around us when we're together?"

Erik looked at him again, annoyance very prevalent in his eyes. "I don't want to be with both of you. I want to be with Nikolas. I don't like you touching him. I don't like that he's fine with it. I don't completely trust you, and I don't like that I don't have a choice."

Mathias sighed. He knew what that was like. With heavy steps he made his way over to the bed, sitting down on the edge of the plush bed. "Erik, believe it or not, I actually do understand. No, I admit that I was never separated from my brother when I was young. But I do have an older brother, and he has this boyfriend. At first, when Berwald started liking Tino, I hated him. I hated Tino for taking my brother away. I hated Berwald for letting himself be taken so easily. I even hated myself for hating them, hated the fact that if I said something, Berwald would have backed away and never gone for Tino. But that would have been cruel. To take away his love that was being given and the love he received in return."

Erik was silent a long while, watching the Dane's face for any traces of deception, but eventually he nodded.

"I understand what you're thinking because I was probably thinking the same thing when I was only a year or two older than you are now." The boy was still quiet, but his eyes were a lot less hateful. "Look, Erik, I'm sorry that you grew up the way you did. I'm sorry that you were mistreated. I'm sorry that you've had to deal with everything you have. I'm sorry that you don't like me, and I'm sorry that you haven't had much alone time with Nikolas since you guys got here, but I am not sorry that you're both here. I know that it's hard to see your brother with another, especially since you just found him and you're bound to feel possessive and angry and jealous around those who have either had more time or are spending time that you want with him. But you have to remember, the rest of us care too. I love him, you love him, a different kind of love, I grant you, but the concept is still the same. You aren't the only one who wants to spend time with him. Have you ever loved someone, Erik?"

The Icelander shook his head.

"Well, it's an amazing feeling. But it's also crushing. The amount of almost physical pain that you go through when you don't know where the one you love is, it's killer. The longer you're separated, the worse it gets. That month that I spent getting here and waiting was – it was very, very hard. I missed him so much."

Erik sat up more. "You didn't have years separating you, though."

The Dane shrugged a little. "No, you're right. I didn't. But neither did you. Not really."

The boy frowned. "What do you mean?"

"You didn't know that he was your brother, so you couldn't have missed him. I'm sure now you really want to make up for lost time, and yes, I know you want to be with him alone more, but so do I. I don't think either of us really prepared for having to give up time. And given the warning, I probably still wouldn't. Would you?"

"No."

"Here's where we need to decide a couple things, and then we need to talk to Nikolas." And they talked a little longer, the conversation ending much better than it had started.

*Awesome Transition*

"Mathias." Nikolas stroked his lover's hair as the Dane's head rested in his lap. "What would you do if I were able to go back to my kingdom and take the throne as king?"

Mat's eyes opened. "I would ask if that was what you wanted to do."

"And if I did? Somehow I can't see you as a queen."

Mathias's easy laugh came out. "No, I'm pretty sure I can't be a queen."

"I was just thinking about Gilbert and Matthew's case and what it would be like in that situation if it were us. It's impossible, though."

"If you still wanted me around, I would still be your personal knight."

Nikolas glared a little at the Dane in his lap. "Don't say 'if'. You know I would." He then seemed to think of something and shook his head. "Actually, I changed my mind. I don't want you as my knight." Mathias looked at him, confused. "I want more."

"What do you want?"

"To be married." A faint blush came upon the Norwegian's cheeks.

"Do you really?" A huge grin was on the Dane's lips. Nikolas only had to nod once before the knight spoke again. "Name a date, then."

Nikolas pushed him off his lap with a small smile, then grabbed his hand and pulled him up and into a kiss.

Mathias grinned wider, kissing back happily before pulling away and writing a quick note. He left it there and picked up his lover, heading straight to their room.

Later on, Erik walked into the library. "Nikolas?" He found the piece of paper and read it aloud. "'Hey Erik, just wanted to let you know that Niko and I are going to be busy for the rest of the night. The reason I tell you this is so you don't worry. If you need anything, don't hesitate to ask Prince Tino or Mattie.'"

Erik sighed and looked down at his puffin. "What am I supposed to do now?" But the puffin didn't answer. He just blinked at the Icelander. "That's not helpful."


	13. Knight and Gamemaster

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> THIS IS THE CHAPTER WITH VERY DECRIPTIVE BATTLE SCENES AND MENTIONS OF BLOOD, INJURIES, AND EVEN DEATH.-IF THAT SORT OF THING IS NOT ALRIGHT WITH YOU, PLEASE BE CAREFUL

Nikolas and Mathias were walking along the edges if the courtyard, hands intertwined.

A solider came stumbling over, looking beyond battered and collapsed at their feet, coughing up blood. "Sire!"

Mathias knelt, trying to see what happened. "Are you alright?"

"S- Silovice is h-here!"

Nikolas's eyes went wide with fear. "How? How could he have gotten through the defenses?"

The solider shook his head, attempting to sit up. "Too m-m-many..." He coughed, his clothes matted with blood. "A couple hundred... Maybe more... There was so much at one second." The bleeding man took a deep, shuddering breath and closed his eyes, never opening them again.

The sounds of metal clanging and battle cries came from the inner castle walls, and they were getting closer. "Mathias, you go help. I have to get my brother."

Mathias nodded his head quickly and drew his sword from his hip, pressing a kiss to his lover's lips. "Stay safe."

The Norwegian watched his knight run off to join the fight, slightly frozen but recovered as he heard the tell-tale cry of a man wailing out his last breath of air. He had to get to his little brother.

He ran. Nikolas ran through the halls, passing scenes of battle. The losses and wins. Of which there were many. All he could see was blood. Blood and death all around him.

In Erik's room it was no better. Nikolas drew the saber by his side. "Erik?" Red was painted on the walls, the blood of two soldiers lying on the floor, their flesh scarred open and bleeding. Indigo eyes scanned the room frantically, seeing nothing.

The faint rustle of clothing and the hiss of metal coming through the air hit Nikolas's ears and he spun around, barely able to block the sword that came at him.

A deep chuckle emanated from the older man in front of him, the sound hitting the Norwegian right in the chest, almost a blow itself. He may not have ever met the man in front of him, but Nikolas knew immediately who it was.

"Well, hello. Glad you finally arrived. I was getting tired of waiting."

Nikolas glared, swinging his weapon at the man. He was easily blocked, his strength not up to this man's level. "How'd you get in here?"

Another dark chuckle came out to smack Nikolas in the face. "Easy. No one would expect a direct attack from the king himself, and my men were able to distract this castle's worthless forces."

The Norwegian heard the growl in his own voice. "Where's my brother?"

"Don't you mean my pathetic 'son'? That weakling of a boy? Dead or dying." The man seemed proud of that fact. Furious, eyes blazing with hatred, Nikolas threw all he had at the man, the awful man in front of him who had done him so wrong.

In anger, though, there is less cognitive thought, leaving yourself exposed in more ways than one. For Nikolas, he left his defenses too open. Open enough that the man took advantage. A flash of silver caught in the corner of his eye, and a warm feeling spread across his side underneath his ribs, followed immediately by the searing pain of a fresh wound.

"You're a decent fighter, Nikolas, or would be if you could actually pull off an attack!" Nik could only glare, putting a hand over the wound to try and staunch the bleeding as best he could. "At least it won't be over too quickly! It gets boring as king! I need some entertainment." A manic grin came upon the king's face. "I need some blood." He pushed the prince away with the next swing of his sword. "Let's see yours, shall we?"

The king laughed, the gleam in his eyes showing how excited he was. "How red is it?! How quickly does it run?! I want to see it! Taste it! And I will!" Silovice laughed, his blows pushing the prince back into the wall. "How long can you keep this up? How much longer can you stand on your feet? I know you're wearing out! I can see your blood!" His next blow landed closer to the hilt of the Norwegian's sword, nearly knocking it out of his hand, using the opportunity to let the blade rip across the prince's chest.

Nikolas just barely bit back the cry building in his throat. "Aww! Don't worry!" Silovice taunted, gripping the younger man by his throat and slamming him against the wall, tightening his grip as the blonde clawed at his hold.

Silovice raised his dagger with a malicious grin, his pupils blown wide with excitement. But suddenly his back arched. A cry of pain sounded, and Nikolas felt his air supply being returned to him as the hand fell away.

"Don't you dare hurt him!" A young voice came from behind the manic king. Blood decorated the blade Erik held. He knew that the wound wasn't deep, but it was enough to push the man away and stand in front of his wounded brother on the ground.

Silovice glared up at the boy. "So you're against me now, too? Think you can defeat your father?"

Erik shook his head; only his beautiful lavender eyes could betray his fear. "You're not my father!"

The man stood up straight again, seeming to have forgotten the source of the red liquid running down his back. He grabbed his sword again and swung it at his adoptive son. Erik quickly blocked. "So you've learned how to fight. Still not enough. You never will have enough strength or skill to fight on par with me! You don't, your brother didn't, and nor will his knight! I will kill all three of you with my own hands!"

Erik threw himself into his next swing. "Mathias will come. He will kill you for hurting my brother if I can't first!"

Silovice made a cut dragging across the boy's chest, a red line getting larger and larger, staining into his shirt. Erik cried out, falling down but still trying to protect his brother, holding up his sword.

"Goodbye, child." Silovice's blade rested on the boy's chest, ready to run him through.

The door burst open, startling the king. "Oh, look who's here to join the party."

Nikolas pulled his brother into his arms, getting him away from the point of the king's sword. "Mathias," he breathed softly.

The Dane marched in, eyes hard. "I thought I made myself clear regarding these two."

Silovice turned to face the knight, a silly grin on his face. "Not really. You were just an annoyance constantly getting in my way. But of course I can change that now." Mathias shook his head, immediately going on the offence against the king. Now unlike the princes, Mat had formal training. He had beaten many men before this king. He knew how to go after this manic man. But so had Silovice. "The princes' blood runs so nice and red. What about yours?"

Mathias remained silent, but his blows came quicker. He managed to land a few blows on the king, drawing the blood Silovice so obviously craved. Unfortunately for Mathias, Silovice's sword was as sharp as his own, and Mat could feel the metal pierce his skin multiple times.

"Not bad. Not bad at all." The king turned just slightly and grabbed the Icelander roughly from his brother's grasp. "But it's not fun! So what if we make things more interesting?"

Erik's eyes filled with tears, his wounds being pulled on. Nikolas reached up, trying to take him back. "Erik! Let him go!"

The Norwegian was ignored, though, and Silovice kept his eyes on the Dane. "So how about it, Mr. Knight?"

Mathias's voice was low, hateful. "Let. Him. Go. Now."

"No. No, I don't think I will. I want to play, and unless you agree..." Silovice raised his blade to the boy's neck, pressing it to the tender skin there.

"What is this 'game' you want to play?" Mat was cautious. He had to be around this madman.

Silovice grinned more, his bottom lip splitting, the little rivulets of crimson appearing and rolling down his chin slowly. "It's so simple but so much fun. Let's start by removing that armor of yours, hmm?"

"I'll play as long as Nikolas and Erik stay out of it."

"I don't know. I quite like the idea of keeping my 'son' as a shield." Mathias shook his head slowly, keeping his eyes locked on his target. He had to gesture a finger down to his lover, though. Nikolas was itching to attack the man in front of him, eyes blazing with a hunger to reclaim his little brother and destroy the man who had taken him. "Fine. Spoil my fun." Silovice simply dropped the Icelander to the ground, the boy being quickly gathered into the Norwegian's arms. "Now, remove your armor."

"Don't fall for it, Mathias!" Nikolas shouted angrily.

"Shut it. I'll make it fair for him, 'princess'." Silovice pulled off his own breastplate and gloves, Mathias doing the same, exposing how much he had already been damaged in the previous fights with the rest of the soldiers. "When you're ready, I expect a good bloody fight to the death. Your death, of course."

Mathias nodded once, immediately taking the offensive and throwing a knife at the man's now exposed collarbone. It almost missed and instead lodged in the madman's shoulder, a pool of red soon becoming visible below the hilt of the knife. Silovice ripped it out, laughing. "It's not my blood we're after here... It's yours!"

He sent the small blade flying into the corner of the room near Mathias, throwing out his main sword in an arc, catching the Dane across the chest as he was unable to block in time. A spurt of the red substance came out to spray the king, the rest of it staining the padding Mathias had there. A shout of pain was not to be held back from the blonde. The pain was terrible, but it would be the loss of blood that would get to him sooner. Mathias feared that moment.

"Good! More! Louder!" The rusty liquid from Silovice's scarred lip dripped onto his teeth, changing the near-yellow grotesque smile to a bloody, messy grimace. Oh, how blood painted this world.

Mathias was strong, but this king was stronger. Much stronger. He pushed the Dane into a corner, bit by bit, block by block, and by every antagonizing tear of flesh.

"You can't win, knight. I am the Gamemaster. You will bow to me in life and in death!"

Mathias shook his head right, his vision becoming fuzzy, moves sluggish. He had no time at all to even anticipate the next jab of the madman's weapon, already dripping with his lifeblood. This was the killing blow. It went straight through his middle.

Mathias's eyes went wide, his mouth opening for a scream of pain but no sound escaping.

Right behind him, Nikolas was able to throw his saber so it caught the back of Silovice's knee, cutting into the flesh. Silovice growled and ripped his sword out of the Dane, Mathias going into shock.

Silovice started to advance on the other wounded boys, a fresh kill revitalizing him for this.

A bloody hand came around his neck with the previously fallen throwing blade. The knife cut his throat open, spraying the last of the horrible man's life across the room.

Mathias fell to the ground, his job done as the Gamemaster lay dead on the floor, once and for all.

Nikolas scrabbled over to his lover, grabbing the nearest cloth and pressing it to the wound. "Mathias. Don't you dare die on me."

Mathias's eyes could barely stay open. "S-sorry Nik…." His breath was nearly gone, chest shuddering in exertion.

"Save your breath, idiot... I won't let you leave me that easily. I'm not going down the aisle alone." Even Erik could hear how his brother was barely holding it together.

Mat smiled weakly. "I..." He breathed out so softly it wasn't distinguishable. "Lo-love you." Nikolas nodded, taking his hand as tight as he could. "Do-do-don't... y-ou for-.. get it."

"I won't. Just-don't leave me- Hold on just for a little longer."

Nikolas could hear Matthew calling for them. "Matthew! Here! Quickly!"

The healer rushed to them, hearing the panic in his friend's voice. He pushed the door fully open and gasped at the scene. "Oh dear." He immediately ripped off one of the blankets from the bed, cutting out a chunk and pressing it to the wound on Mathias's midsection.

*Awesome Transition*

Mattie stood and called another healer over to work on the Dane, unable to do it anymore. Not on his friend. Nikolas pushed away his own healer that had just finished bandaging his last wound to follow the younger blonde. "How is he?"

"It's not good, Nikolas. Not good at all." Mattie looked at his hands, trembling when he saw the blood. There was too much. Far too much.

"There has to be something we can do. I won't let him die."

Mattie grabbed a towel, rubbing the red stain off his hand as best he could. "I'm sorry. There's nothing more that I can do."

"Is there anything I can?" Matthew shook his head. "I can't just stand here and wait!" Nikolas's voice carried in the large space, the outburst startling a few people. Especially the prince's brother, who had never seen the Norwegian get out of control like that.

The healer finally looked at the man next to him, pushing his glasses up. "Then pray." He knew it wasn't much comfort, but he wouldn't lie to his friend like that. "Nikolas, I'm sorry, but right now the odds aren't in his favor. If he makes it through the night the chances are better, but-"

Nikolas cut him off. "He'll make it. He won't leave me. I won't let him." Mattie wouldn't respond to that, eyes downcast. "Did you know we plan to get married when this is over?" Nikolas shook his head, staring at his unconscious lover. "That's why he can't die."

"Nikolas," Matthew started delicately. "What happened?"

"I went to find my brother when the attack started and fought Silvoce in his room. Erik saved me, but when Silvoce tried to kill him, Mathias arrived and they fought. I jumped in when he tried to stab Mathias the first time, but... then he stabbed him anyway. I fought Silvoce until Mathias killed him... and then you found us." The healer nodded slowly, weighing the situation in his mind. Nikolas finally looked to his little brother. The little brother that needed him to be strong, that needed him to hold it all together and say it would be all right. "You should rest. It's going to be a long night."

Erik's eyes were drooping. He was injured and tired, and it was only bound to get worse. "You need to, too."

Matthew looked between the both of them. "Both of you need rest. Go."

"I'm not leaving." Nikolas turned to the Prussian prince who had been waiting in the wings, being Matthew's assistant while he had run around the medical ward. "Gilbert, take him to an available room."

"I want to stay with you. Please, brother." Erik was near to crying. He was in pain and wanted to sleep, but he needed his older brother. He didn't think he could sleep without nightmares.

Mattie put a hand on the boy's shoulder. "It's better if you just rest, Erik. He'll be close by. Besides, he needs to stay in the infirmary, and we need to have all the room we can get for the badly wounded." The healer then made sure that Nikolas had a cot next to the Dane.

Erik kept looking back worriedly at his brother and the knight, but he allowed Gilbert to walk him away.

Matthew soon followed them, having done all he could in the ward before another healer, who was fresher and hadn't been there nearly as long, told him to go and get some rest as well. He was a bit behind the Prussian, who had just put the Icelandic boy to bed. "Hey, Mattie." Gilbert closed the door behind him as he left the room.

Matthew just wrapped his arms around the prince, face hidden by Gilbert's shoulder. Pale arms wrapped around the blonde's middle, holding him tight. "You did awesome, Mattie." Gil could feel his lover start to tremble in his awesome embrace. Mattie just didn't do this kind of thing. Never in his life had he seen that much death, seen that much carnage. "Maybe we should get some rest too, hmm?" Gilbert knew that when it came to these things, a good night's sleep always helped. It didn't make situations any better, but you were better at handling it.

Nikolas still refused to even look away from the Dane. "Wake up soon, Mathias... I want to see that stupid smile." Mathias made no response, eyes shut in unconsciousness. "You're such an idiot, Mathias." Nikolas's voice came out in a quiet sigh, holding his lover's hand tight, holding it up to his own heart. "But I love you regardless."

Mathias's breathing slowed, becoming almost imperceptible to the eye. "Mathias... please- please pull through... I need you and your smile and your love and-" Nikolas wiped at his eyes before the tears could fall from those watery indigo orbs as the Dane's chest seemed to be taking in less and less air. "Just don't you dare die. I don't want a life without you."


	14. Knight and Child Bearer

A week and a half. It had been a week and a half and Mathias still hadn't woken up. Nikolas stayed by his side at all times. The only way to get him to eat, sleep, or even move was for Mattie to direct him personally. "Nikolas, you really need to sleep more." Mathias wasn't the only one injured.

Nik's head shook back and forth, his eyes never straying from his lover's body. "I'm fine."

Mattie placed a hand on his shoulder, intending to have him check on the littlest prince, but a soft groan came from the unconscious man on the cot next to them. "Mathias?"

The Dane's head slowly turned towards his lover. "N... Nik...olas…?

"I'm here." Nik squeezed his hand, one of the only places Mathias wasn't still injured. Mat's eyes slowly opened to see his lover, concerned and waiting for a response.

"Ow…"

Mattie laughed softly, seeing the smile form on the knight's split lips, and started reexamining his wounds, pressing numbing agents back into the bandages. Mat's fingers tightened ever so slowly around his lover's hand, assuring him he would be okay. "Hey, Niko."

"You're finally up, idiot." Nikolas's eyes were telling him everything Mathias needed to know about how worried the prince had been.

"Was I asleep long?"

"Try a week and a half."

Mathias took a deep breath, letting it out with a wince. "Don't spare me, Nikolas, how bad? For you and for Erik."

"My brother was wounded across his back and his shoulder and has been healing well, though he won't have complete use of his arm for a little longer. I was more wounded, but they're healing." Mat gave him a look, obviously telling him he wasn't buying it. "I'm sore in places and tired but fine overall."

"You should rest then."

Nikolas shook his head, squeezing his lover's hand tighter. "I'd rather be here right now." Mat raised his arms toward him in a gesture of 'Well, come here, then.' Nik sighed softly and laid down next to his lover, being pulled into his arms. He could only guess at how much it pulled on Mat's wounds and how much pain it put him in to do so. They were both very quiet for a few minutes. "I'm glad you're alive, Mathias."

Mat kissed the top of his head gently. "Yeah, me too." His voice was soft, but his next words were a bit louder. "I'm so glad you're alive."

"You saved me and my brother. The one who should be more worried is me."

"You shouldn't. I was born and raised to deal with this."

Nikolas gave him a hard look, eyes near blazing. "You weren't raised to almost die, idiot! If you had-!" He let out a shuddered breath. "If you had... I don't know what I would have done."

"You wouldn't do anything drastic, right?" Nikolas was silent. "If something like this happens again... Promise you won't?"

"I can't." Mat opened his mouth to speak, to beg that Nikolas promise, but was cut off. "It's better to focus on right now, anyway. You didn't leave me, and you won't, so there's nothing to worry about." He put his hand on Mat's chest. "Just go to sleep, Mathias. And wake up in a reasonable amount of time."

Outside the infirmary, in a room set up for the littlest prince, Matthew was checking up on his patient. "Is Mathias awake yet?"

Mattie nodded. "He woke up a little while ago, but he and Nikolas went back to sleep."

The Icelander looked up at the blonde. "That's good. Now Nikolas can finally relax." Of course he had worried as well but wouldn't say it out loud. There was something else that was bugging him, but it took a minute for him to be able to verbalize it in a proper sentence. "What happens now?"

The healer bit his lip a little, then sat down in the seat next to Erik's bed. "We all heal."

"But what then? Will everyone just leave?" He paused, not wanting to acknowledge the thought. "What will happen to me?"

Mattie moved quickly to hug the little prince. "Erik, did you hear Nikolas before?"

"What do you mean? When he talked about meeting my father?"

The arms around him tightened. "Not just that – he wouldn't leave you. He just found you. And you know Mathias would do anything to keep him happy."

"But what if he changes his mind? What if he just wants to be with that stupid knight now? He's hardly said anything the past week, and I know he was worried, but-!" Erik sighed and looked down, not wanting to show how much it had worried him over the past week.

Matthew kept his tone soft but still firm. "Hey, look at me." Erik slowly did as told. "Nikolas isn't that kind of person. Don't doubt him." The Icelander still seemed to doubt. "I promise." Erik managed to hug him back, needing the comfort of his friend. "You're such a good kid, Erik, I wish we would have had more time to get to know each other."

"What do you mean?"

Mattie sighed softly. "I mean, we'll still visit, but I guess I'm really used to having you around." He quite liked the little Icelander. He felt protective and really enjoyed his company.

"I don't want everyone to split up now. It's nice with us all here." Erik's arms seemed to cling more to the blonde.

"It's like having the family back. With new people and without my brother."

Erik pulled back and looked at him curiously. "You have a brother?"

"He and I are twins. His name is Alfred. Very loud, very outgoing, very annoying." Mattie smiled to himself happily.

Erik cocked his head to the side a little. "Do you not like him?"

"I love him as much as a brother can. But because we're related, I'm allowed to call him out for being annoying." Alfred could be very annoying, but he was also one of the kindest people Mattie knew.

Erik seemed to recognize the love in his eyes, the same love he felt for his older brother. "Where is he now?"

"Last I heard, somewhere in France or Spain. He's a soldier." He looked the boy over once more, seeing him more relaxed. "You should get some more sleep, Erik. You're exhausted."

Erik nodded a few times and lay back down in his bed, letting the older man tuck him in.

Mattie was able to slip out as quietly as possible and into the hallway, making his way back to the infirmary. Gil was waiting just outside the doorway for him, though, making sure that his little healer also got some sleep. Matthew was really good at making others get better but not the greatest at making himself take a break when needed.

"Hey Birdie."

"Hey."

"How's everyone?"

"Alive, healing, better. Mat woke up. How're you?"

Gilbert grinned at his lover. "I'm awesome." That managed to pull out a small chuckle from his blonde healer. "And how are you?"

Mattie had to think for a moment, the wear of the day starting to weigh down on his shoulders. "Well I'm here, with you, so I think... Awesome."

Gil grinned and pulled Mattie into his arms, pressing a kiss to his lips with a laugh. "That's awesome." He watched the blonde's eyes roll, his lips still holding a smile. "So you ready to head home soon?"

Mattie hesitated a moment. "Which home?"

"Well, the awesome me figures we should see if your place is still in one piece and get anything we want from there before I bring you back to the castle." Mattie nodded a little, but the Prussian could see that the younger wasn't the happiest that he could be. "You sure you want to come live in that castle? I know I told West I'd go, but..."

"Gil, I'm sure." He smiled a little, even if it didn't truly reach his eyes. "It'll be nice."

The Prussian nodded a little, hugging him tighter. "I wouldn't leave you for anything, you know that."

Mattie gave him a light kiss. "I do know. Which is why I'm going with you to your castle."

"I can't wait to have you as my awesome queen." He grinned wolfishly at his lover. "Wonder what you'll look like in one of those dresses."

Matthew's face went completely red with embarrassment. "Shut up."

Gil laughed again, the sound only furthering his lover's embarrassment. "Bet you'll look awesome, Mattie."

The prince kissed all over his blonde's face until the blush went away and a pensive look came upon his face. "Gilbert?"

"What?" Gilbert was still grinning.

"Monarchies, kingdoms are run through the royal bloodline." The prince shrugged in a 'yeah, why' way. "What about an heir?"

Gilbert leaned back on the wall, still holding the blonde in his arms. "I don't know how to solve that. I mean, we could adopt, but- I don't know. I don't plan to randomly choose a chick just to have a child, though."

"We'll figure it out."

*Awesome Transition*

At the latest a week later, Mathias was back in his room with his lover, healed enough to walk around, but Mattie had forbidden any strenuous activities for another few weeks at least.

"We really should get up." Nikolas was smiling just a little as he made no move to do so.

"But Nik, we're so comfy."

"Erik has already been by twice to tell us that breakfast is ready."

"Why can't we just lay in bed all day?"

"Because it will lead to 'strenuous activities,' Mathias." The Dane gave his lover a sly look, stroking a hand down his lover's back. "It's time to get up." Nikolas pulled away, smiling still, just that little smile.

Mathias got up and started to think, getting his clothes on. "You know, we should probably go see Tino and Berwald. I haven't seen Tino in days."

Nikolas nodded. "It would be best if we did. They are our hosts."

"…Well, let's find them, then." Mat went out the door and asked a maid, who clammed up and rushed away to another hall.

They were inclined to think that something was wrong, but Tino found them easy enough when he caught wind of them looking. He was rushed and hurried but looked uninjured. "Hey, you two, what's the fuss?"

Mathias gave him a once-over. "Nothing much, just wanted to check on how recovery was going."

Tino froze. "Recovery?"

Nikolas nodded. "The recovery from the invasion you just suffered."

This soothed the little Finn. "Oh! Of course! It's going well!"

Mat was about to ask exactly what had set him off, but the prince made up a quick, almost undeterminable excuse as he nearly ran out of the area, obviously headed somewhere.

"Okay, that was weird. Even for Tino."

"You know him better than I do."

Mathias started to worry a bit. "I'm gonna go see where I can find Ber." He realized that he hadn't heard from his brother at all since he had woken up. And Nikolas had never mentioned the hulking man's appearance while at his bedside in the infirmary. The first place he looked was the Swede's room, but no sign of life. "Where else might he be?"

"Tino's room?" Mathias shook his head at his lover, knowing that Tino would be there if Berwald was. Berwald didn't see a use in hanging around in a bedroom unless you were sleeping or with your lover. Otherwise they were quite useless to the Swede.

"I think Tino knows where Berwald is." Nikolas gave him a questioning look, asking where he might be. "At this hour he would still be asleep. If he's not here, and not in Tino's…" Nik listened, curious, watching the sudden realization come to his lover. The Dane's words were muttered. "That's what he meant..."

"What are you talking about?" Mat was silent as he took the Norwegian's hand, taking him past the infirmary, down a long hallway with only the occasional door to separate the stone walls. At the end of the winding, slowly darkening hall there was a dark wooden door with no marking on it whatsoever.

Mathias took a deep breath and knocked twice, just loud enough to be heard but not loud enough to wake anyone sleeping.


	15. Knight and Broken Bears

The door slowly opened and Mathias walked in, feeling like he was in a dream, his breathing speeding up as he processed the scene in front of his eyes.

Nikolas was surprised to recognize the only other person in the room, laid out on a bed, obviously very badly injured, blood staining almost every piece of binding. "Mathias? Why-What's going on?"

Mathias fell down on his knees next to the bed. "He was fighting too... Right beside me." His voice was strained. Nik put a hand on his shoulder gently. "This is a private room... It's the place that the  _very_  badly wounded go. There are healers specifically for here."

"Oh…"

The body stirred just a little bit. "Why didn't Tino tell me?"

"He probably didn't want you to worry. You had your own healing to focus on."

Mathias frowned and took the huge hand in his own. "But he's my brother." Berwald was breathing, mostly.

A croaky voice came from the heavily bandaged body. "Mat, what are you doin' here?"

The knight's head snapped up. "I came to see how you're doing." Mathias never knew why, but whenever he was around his brother his accent from his childhood came out, thicker and thicker.

Berwald seemed to want to shrug but decided against it. "Not very good." Mat squeezed his hand more. "Didn't think you were coming, Mathias."

"No one told me." The Dane's words were punctuated by a sad, bitter laugh.

"It's probably better no one did."

Mathias shook his head. "Oh yeah? Why's that?" He couldn't see any reason why he shouldn't be told.

"Heard you were pretty bad off."

"Still shoulda told me."

The big man's head shook just a little, trying not to hurt himself more. "You worry too much… make you sick."

"Seems like I'd have a reason to be."

Berwald was able to squeeze his little brother's hand a bit. "I knew you'd find me when you could." He paused. "I'm proud of you. I heard what you did."

"Thanks, Bror." He smiled sadly at the man in the bed and turned away, not wanting to see his brother, this bear of a man, broken and bleeding on the bed.

"Hey, look at me, little brother." Mat forced himself to do so. "I'm gonna be fine. You should go, Mat. I'm tired, you're tired."

"You sure?" The Dane knew that Ber was right but really didn't want to have to go.

"You can visit later. Promise." Mathias nodded a little, standing again and going to the door. He tried not to look back but couldn't stop himself, needing to reassure himself that his older brother, the one who'd raised him, the one with whom he fought and would fight for to the death was still alive and would make it.

Berwald lifted his hand a little to wave his worried little brother out the door. Mat closed the door behind him and saw his lover standing there with the prince of the castle. Mathias nearly jumped, not even having realized that Nikolas had left the room. "He went back to sleep."

The little Finn saw him and immediately tried to make amends. "I'm so sorry, Mat, he told me I shouldn't tell you…"

Nikolas put a hand on his lover's chest, holding him back from saying exactly what he wanted to say. It would be words in anger that he wouldn't mean and would regret later. "Why don't we go join Erik outside? Fresh air might be a good idea." Mat nodded a little, putting his own hand over Nik's. "Goodbye, Tino."

The knight let the Norwegian lead him outside to the courtyard, where the Icelander was playing with his puffin pet. "I'm sorry, Mathias."

Mathias shook his head a bit, sitting on the ground next to Erik, handing him a treat for the bird. "It's not your fault." The Dane attempted a smile at his lover.

But Nikolas wasn't one to be pandered. "You can't deny that I'm partially at fault."

Mat gave him a look. "Yes, I can. It's not your fault that Ber got ambushed, it's not your fault that Silovice was after you, it's not your fault that he was after Erik."

Nikolas sat in front of him on the bright green grass, watching his little brother chase after the black and white bird. "But it's my fault that I'm here, and if I wasn't then he wouldn't have come."

"Silovice would have come here anyway. He's been planning a world take-over for quite a long time."

"I guess, but I still feel at least a little responsible." Nikolas sighed softly, knowing that he wouldn't win this against Mathias.

The Dane shook his head, pulling the Norwegian prince into his lap and giving him a more genuine smile. "Don't feel that." Nikolas leaned back onto his lover. "Things were just starting to look good, why couldn't they stay that way?"

"I don't know," Nikolas started, pressing a kiss to his lover's cheek. "But he will be fine, Mathias. I promise. He wouldn't want you worried, anyway."

Mat's arms tightened around him. "I know, but I can't help it; he's my brother. Practically raised me."

Nikolas took his hands, pulling them further around him. "I know how it feels to see someone you love wounded and struggling. I know how helpless you feel. Please just trust me, Mathias. He will be okay." He let Mathias drop his head into his neck, pressing light kisses to the skin there. "It will get better. Everyone will heal and we will all live our lives as we want."

"Why can't things just go right for a change?" The words left a warmer spot on the skin of his neck as the Dane breathed out.

Nikolas shrugged a bit as to not hit his lover in the face with his shoulder. "You're asking me? That's the same question I've been asking for years. At least we're all alive and will remain so." As he felt the Dane nod his agreement, the prince continued. "Think about it this way. We met, fell in love, I reunited with my brother, I was able to reunite with you, we lived, and that's only focusing on us. We all have a future, Mathias, and that's right enough."

"Yeah. You're right." Mat pressed his lips to Nikolas's neck once more. "Do you want it? I mean, do you want to go back and be king?"

A hesitation told the knight more than Nikolas's words ever would. "I don't know. It's what I was raised for- I've never truly thought about what I'd do if I wasn't."

"But do you  _want_  that life?"

Nikolas planned to give him the spiel he had been told since birth, but he hadn't had to think about that for a while. "No, but who would take my place then? My brother is probably not prepared enough, and I don't want to force him into my place." He turned his head to look at his lover. "What would you do while I ruled?"

Mathias chuckled, thinking about the possibilities. "I'd have a few options. I could go out on the warfront, train soldiers, help out in your castle. I could watch you in your throne room longingly, I could sit at your feet and just listen to you talk for hours, or if all else fails, I could stay in your rooms and be a love slave." Another chuckle vibrated through his chest, rumbling through the Norwegian's back.

Nikolas shook his head, smiling just a little. "Idiot."

Mathias grinned wider at the sight. "Yours, though."

Nik nodded, squeezing his lover's hands again. "Of course."

"What do you think I should do as you rule?"

"Other than be my husband?" Mathias nodded, that grin staying right where it was. "I just want you to be there and be you. What you do exactly, though, is up to you."

Nikolas spotted the puffin starting to chase his little brother around, but it didn't seem to matter. The kid was having a good time being a kid. "Maybe I could see if the battle school needs any instructors."

"They could always use more help. I'm sure you could." Nikolas seemed to ponder over something. "Though I don't know... maybe you would make a better love slave."

Mathias laughed loudly, nearly falling back. "Maybe so."

"As long as you're not on the warfront."

"I wouldn't want to be away that long. I'd miss you too much."

Nikolas shook his head. "I'm more concerned about your life being in danger again."

"Yeah, dying is not on my list of to-dos." He had already done that and been told 'no'.

A raised eyebrow told Mat that he wasn't going to try and die again. "Good. If it was, I might just have to lock you in my room." He paused, listening to the chuckle resound through his lover again. "Once things are settled at the castle, we can truly start our lives."

"You sure? It seems like every time things get settled, we have to go run off somewhere else."

"Just dream with me for a moment."

Mathias's smile softened. "I can do that."

They watched the boy play with his bird for nearly an hour before Erik came back over, flopping on the grass near them, the puffin in his arms, just as tired.

"I've been thinking. Perhaps we should be heading out soon." Nikolas ran a hand through the white hair of his little brother.

"Really?"

Erik turned toward the couple, now listening. "There are a few things I have to ask my father, and there's no use in putting it off any longer now that everything is pretty much normal." Nikolas turned his attention to the boy again.

But they did put it off; they put it off until Berwald was walking again. Which was three weeks, at the end of which Nikolas went to his little brother again. Erik was in the medical area, Matthew checking him out to make sure everything had healed properly. "It's about time we go, so when you're done here, you should go pack your things."

Packing for the group really didn't take that long, but when Erik knocked on the door to his brother's room, he was told to have someone collect the bags and wait with Tino for the carriage to be ready.

Nearly an hour rolled by before the couple showed up, Mathias still making sure his shirt was tucked in and Nikolas remembering to put his cross clip back into his hair so he could see.

Erik was sitting on one of his bags, frowning at them. "What took you so long?"

Nikolas stayed calm, his eyes enough of a warning to the Finn standing behind him to keep the chuckles at bay. "We had some things to discuss."

Mathias quickly started putting the last things into the carriages to hurry them along. "Are we really leaving now?"

Nikolas nodded and was suddenly hugged by the Finnish prince. Surprised, the Norwegian hugged back gently. "Like we discussed before, we'll see each other again."

"I know." Tino pulled away with a watery smile and went to the Dane. "It's just... We had the family back together. And now everyone's leaving again."

From the castle two figures ran over. "Wait for us!"

"Don't worry, Mattie! They can't leave the awesome me!"

Matthew laughed as they approached. "If you guys don't mind, could we join you for the first leg of your trip?"

Nikolas looked to Mat, who shrugged with a grin. "I'm fine with it." Mattie smiled happily, hugging the Fin too when Gilbert threw their bags into the less full carriage. Nik turned back to the little blonde prince. "Thank you for your hospitality. We'll see you again soon."

"Of course. If you ever need anything, anything at all, just ask, we'll be there as fast as we can possibly be."

"Thank you again. I will mention your and your castle's kindness to my father."

Tino shook his head, not caring too much for that, but not ungrateful. "Thank you, Nikolas." His smile was genuine as he held out a letter for Nikolas. "You should open this later in your journey."

When everyone piled into the carriage, Mathias hesitated. "Coming, Mathias?"

"It seems so weird. Not being on the run. Not traveling on the roads with only our packs." And it was. For all of them, it seemed that any traveling was while running away from one castle or another. But it was nice to finally be going without imminent danger behind them and just the meager shelter that they could procure up ahead. After two days, the letter that Tino gave Nikolas bugged Mat so much that he finally opened it.

' _Dear Nikolas,_

 _If this is early in your journey, smack Mathias for being impatient._ ' Nikolas smacked his lover upside the head.

' _If it's farther along, then thank you for listening. First off, I'd like to say that you are always welcome at our castle. Now that you and Mat are betrothed, I hope you don't mind if we regard you as family. From what I've seen from the two of you, there is no better match. You two are great people on your own, but you seem to bring out the best in each other. Secondly: Berwald, as the only other living relative of Mat, approves of you thoroughly and gives you his blessing. I can only hope your own family looks upon this event with as much joy as we have. Thirdly: This part is for Erik as well. The power of positive thinking is nice, but remember that you also have to keep your heads._

_Hope to see you soon,_

_Tino'_


	16. Knight and Heroes

Surprisingly, when the group arrived back at the castle, they were received happily. The king and queen immediately recognized their second son by his eyes, exact copies of his mother's. Mathias had been reinstated as the prince's knight, though the king was not the happiest about that. Erik was finally getting to experience a real family and he loved it. The only issue was figuring out a way for Mat and Nik to be together where the king wouldn't see them.

And that's where the trouble started. Mathias was spending nights with his lover, and that was easy to explain. It was getting out in the morning that was difficult. "Where do you think you'll be today?" Nikolas was pulling on his shirt as he stretched, and Mat couldn't help but stare, causing a light blush to come over the prince's cheeks.

"I heard that we may get a message from the 'awesome kingdom of the Germanics' inviting the royal family to a wedding." Mathias grinned as he spoke, thinking about the pair they split with nearly a month before. "So I'll be hanging out with the gate guards today. What do you think he'll have you do today?"

Nikolas shrugged a little, knowing but not really caring. "I have some recent yet minor issues to look over as more practice for becoming king. Otherwise I will study in the library. Let me know when the message comes."

"Any tutors?" The Norwegian shook his head. "Have you picked up on anyone who might suspect us?"

"No. We've been lucky so far, unless you know of anyone."

The knight shook his head as he stood from the bed, turning toward the window as the morning light started to permeate the room. "Crap, I need to get going before someone wakes."

Nikolas nodded and escorted him to the door, letting the Dane leave a little before grabbing the front of his shirt and pulling him in for a kiss. As this was a pretty common thing for the littler blonde to do, Mat grinned wider and wrapped his arms around the clothed waist, drawing the man closer to him as arms slid around his neck.

The deserted hall wasn't so deserted anymore, though, a gasp ringing through the stonework. " _What_  is going on?!"

Mathias sprang away from his lover, Nikolas going pale as he recognized the voice, quickly turning to face his father. "I... I can explain."

The king stood there, fuming and angry. "Then, by all means, do so."

Nikolas's hands clenched into fists, looking away and towards Mat before answering. "I fell in love."

"How could you fall in love with another man!?"

The knight held up a hand, obviously averse to saying anything at all to the ruler of the land. "If it helps at all, I love him too."

The King's blazing eyes hit the Dane hard, his voice just as harsh. "It doesn't."

"I can't explain how, but I did. We did. And I wouldn't trade it for any princess, any girl, anyone."

His father was silent for a full minute, rigid, fuming, terrifying. "You have two choices. The first, you stop all of this nonsense, the knight is sent away, yet again, and you do what is proper and become king. The second, you and this man are both banished from my kingdom, never to return."

When Mat had the two to compare, he could really see where Nikolas learned to glare. "What is so wrong with us being in love?"

The tension between them was almost electric, ready to fry the first person that broke it. "Because it is wrong. It is wrong to reject a woman for your queen in favor of this... this…  _him_!"

Mathias, being the person he was, was willing to be fried for his love. "But sire, he-"

"Silence!" Mat's mouth snapped shut. Maybe not.

"How? I can't help who my heart chooses, but I know it will never belong to a woman! I love him and he loves me! Why would you take that from us?!"

The king took steps towards him. "This is not about your heart! This is not about love! This is about your duty and how you have deliberately disobeyed me!"

Nikolas was done. He hated fighting like this. "Fine. Don't care about me. But tell me this: do you love my mother?" The King was taken aback, not expecting the sudden shift. He nodded. "Would you want her taken away from you?"

His father could see where it was going and refused to be bullied into it. "Your mother was an arranged marriage. I did not love her for a long time, but now I do. You will just have to do the same."

Nik shook his head. "I won't."

"You will if you want to rule this kingdom. You either concede or Erik will take your place."

"He is too young." The Norwegian prince never wanted his brother to have to deal with that responsibility. "I will leave this kingdom until Erik is ready and willing to take the throne, but till then I will stand to be crowned  _with_  Mathias at my side."

The king scoffed. "You are in no position to demand anything. If you are not going to listen to reason, you are to leave and never return."

Nikolas felt an arm wrap around his middle, providing him with some comfort as he argued. "Why do you hate the idea of me loving another man so much? Why is it so wrong?"

"Because it is against everything our ancestors have laid down. Because this is how things are done."

The Dane figured that piping up again was only going to get him yelled at, but he couldn't stop himself. "In the Germanic kingdom, Prince Gilbert is marrying a man!"

Nikolas nodded, glad that Mathias still had the frame of mind to come up with examples. "So why can't I?"

"Because you are my son."

Nikolas tensed up a bit, the hand around his waist being one of the only things stopping him from blowing up. "That can't be your only reason."

"No one could take you seriously. I doubt even he does." The large Norwegian gestured to the knight offhandedly.

Mathias felt quite offended; did the man in front of them  _really_ have absolutely no idea what he had gone through for Nikolas? "I do! I love him and respect him with all I have."

"And there's no telling for sure what others would think. There's no way to prove that they wouldn't accept us."

The King was done, though. He was tired of arguing, tired of trying to teach his son. "Nikolas. There will be no further discussion on this matter."

"I won't change my mind."

The King didn't even flinch as he said his next words. "Then gather what you can truly call yours."

A small voice came from the corner, the owner having come out from behind the wall. "Please. Please don't make them leave."

All of the hall's occupants turned towards the voice, surprised to have heard it. "Erik? What are you doing here?"

Erik's voice stayed soft, his eyes pleading with his father's stern look. "I-I heard yelling and-and I was worried."

The King confirmed the Icelander's fears. "Your brother is leaving."

"Why?"

"He refuses to acc-" Nikolas was cut off quickly.

"Because Nikolas refuses to take the easier option."

Erik was silent a few moments, knowing his options. "Then I'm leaving with him." Nikolas actually cared about him. He was the one that took care of him. "I won't be separated from my brother again."

Nikolas shook his head, knowing his father's temper. "Erik... don't get involved."

"No. If you leave, I will too."

The King put a hand on his shoulder. "Erik. There will be no discussion."

The little Icelander gathered some courage and shoved the hand off, pushing past so he could stand with his brother and the knight. "Yes, there will be! Don't run from this! Why can't everyone be happy for once? We've been through so much... can't he have this one thing?"

"No. This is nonnegotiable."

"Please."

"That's enough." King Faere's tone was unmoving as he turned to the eldest brother. "Last chance."

Nikolas sighed and stroked a hand through his younger brother's hair. "Goodbye."

Erik clung to his arm, not wanting to let go. "But-! No!"

Mathias smiled sorrowfully at the boy, patting his back gently. "Sorry, kiddo."

That was a little too far for the King. "How dare you address my son so informally!" He grabbed his younger son's arm and pulled him towards himself. "Come with me." He was still struggling, watching as his older brother battled coming after him.

Nikolas nearly dropped right there, not believing that he had just been banished. He lost his home, his mother, his brother, and his status all in the space of twenty minutes. "What am I supposed to do? I can't leave him here. I won't."

Mat was unwilling to accept defeat in this matter. "We can get him. Promise." He liked the kid, and he was going to do whatever made his lover happy. Especially if it involved helping someone who so obviously needed to go.

A whisper came from the Norwegian's lips. "Thank you."

"We have to leave today, don't we?" Nikolas nodded. "Where should we go?"

Nik shrugged a little, his head still reeling from the shock. "I don't know."

"I know where we have to go first."

"To the wedding?" Mathias bobbed his head in affirmation; the wedding was the first thing they had to do. "At least everything's going well for them."

Mathias tipped his lover's chin up. "That'll be us one day, you know." Nikolas didn't seem too sure. "It will be." The Norwegian was still silent for a moment, then he pushed himself onto his tiptoes to give his lover a kiss.

"I love you."

"I love you too, Nik."

Nikolas smiled just a little, then opened the door to his room again. "I should get my things ready." Mathias followed him in. "We need to figure out how to get Erik out, too, with his few things."

When Nik's brain had begun to slow down due to the shock, Mathias had gone into battle mode, where all his plans and thoughts started to assemble themselves quickly and ready to be implemented at a moment's notice. "I know how to get him out. I'll have a buddy of mine switch for guard duty with him tonight."

Nikolas glanced at him, confused. Last time Mathias had been in Norway, he had had so little time there that he didn't even know why they were going where they were going, let alone time to make friends. Mat saw the look and continued to explain. "You remember that Mattie has a twin brother? He's here! In Norway, as one of your father's soldiers, can you believe it?"

Nik was certain that if anyone else had said that, he wouldn't have. "That makes one thing that's going right."

Mathias decided to go set up his plan with his old friend, only pausing to get another lasting smooch from his lover.

A little later, when Nikolas was packing, a knocking on the door sounded through the room. "Come in."

A man walked in, short blond hair, bright green eyes and a cheery demeanor. "Hi! I'm Feliks! Your dad, like, sent me to help you."

Nikolas bristled. "I can do it myself. This so-called son can do some things on his own."

Feliks took it in stride, though. "Sorry, didn't know I was, like, hitting a touchy subject. Why're you leaving?"

"Because I fell in love with my knight... And my 'father' won't accept it."

The man's jaw dropped. "That's so totally cruel!" His distinctively Polish accent came out heavy.

"There's nothing I can do."

"What a bastard! I guess Toris was right." A pout came across the Pol's lips, eyes shining with true disappointment.

Nikolas gave him an odd look. "Who?"

"My lover."

The Norwegian nodded a little. "Don't just stand there. You might as well help."

"Like, where do I start?" The Prince pointed to a chest in the corner, and the Pol happily went to go pack all of the things up.

Nik sighed softly, his voice coming out in a whisper. "Banished."

Feliks looked back to the Norwegian. "What?" Nik shook his head, but the Pol really wasn't gonna accept that answer from someone who was obviously very upset. "No, come on, tell me."

"It's just… after all this crap I've dealt with for so many years only to be banished."

Feliks gestured for him to sit down on the bed, joining him after a moment. "Maybe it's a good thing. Like, maybe it was meant to be this way."

"Perhaps, but maybe I should have left before all this."

The green-eyed man shrugged a little, understanding. "Perhaps. But you can't change the past."

Nikolas was silent for a few moments, then looked at the Pol in front of him, curious. "What do you think of the king despite what he's done?"

"He's a prick."

"Would you disobey him?"

"After this incident? Totally."

Nikolas almost sighed in relief; he needed someone to be able to get to his little brother to deliver the news. "Then I want you to help my brother pack. Not so it's noticeable, but so we can get him out quickly. I'm not leaving him here."

Feliks smiled wide and bobbed his head happily. "Can I go with you? When you leave, I mean." That surprised the Norwegian, but he nodded; having someone like Feliks around – someone who hadn't grown up in a castle – could be good for them on the trip. "Should I get the little brother all ready?"

"Just be careful."

Feliks grinned and hopped off the bed, heading for the door. "No worries." Feliks rushed through the halls, knowing that he could go nonstop because he just looked like yet another maid in a hurry. He found the little prince's room easily. His knocks penetrated the silence of the hall.

There was no response for a whole minute or two. "Who is it?"

"Feliks, a maid."

"Did my father send you?" Erik sounded upset. Rightfully so.

"No, your brother did."

The door opened immediately. "Really?"

Feliks gave the boy a look. "Like, duh." He was ushered in, and the door closed behind him. "I'm supposed to help you pack."

Erik didn't want to be too hopeful. "He's taking me with him?" The Pol nodded happily. "But my father..."

Feliks put a hand on his hip, his eyebrows raised. "Your dad is mean. Do you really want to stay?" The Icelander shook his head. "Then tell me what you wanna pack. Not too much, but enough to keep you going a while." Erik started pulling out clothes from his closet, and now that they were working, Feliks began to speak again. "Sooo~ Prince Erik, like, is there anyone you're interested in?"

Erik stopped in handing him a shirt and blinked. "No."

"We need to do that!"

The boy leaned away a little; even his time with Gilbert hadn't gotten him used to loud and odd people. "Why? It's not your problem, anyway."

The Pol laughed softly. "I'm coming too! Can't I be your friend, or at least your gossipy acquaintance?"

"Friend." He paused, looking the green-eyed man over again. "Maybe. I don't really even know you."

"How're you, like, dealing with all of this change? I mean, you just got here a few weeks ago... Where were you before that?"

"Finland, but I was with Silvoce before that."

Feliks's eyes went wide. "Poor baby! Did he hurt you? Stupid question. Never mind." He pulled the little Icelander into a tight hug, petting his head softly.

Erik struggled a little. "Would you let go of me? And I'm not a baby!"

The petting grew faster, Feliks obviously too distracted by his own thoughts to really register what the boy was saying. "You don't have to act all tough in front of me~!"

Erik swatted at the hand, not liking his hair messed up. "Stop it! I'm not acting!"

The Pol pulled away a little, giving the little prince a look. "Totally promise?"

"I'm fine, and I can take care of myself."

Feliks frowned at the boy. At his age, the Pol was still running errands for his mom. "You're what, thirteen? You shouldn't, like, need to take care of yourself. You're still a kid."

Erik crossed his arms over his chest petulantly. "Almost thirteen. That's old enough. I don't need to be babysat."

"Like, totally not what I meant. You need parents that'll care for you. Or at least parental figures. And twelve is still young."

"I haven't had real parents since I can remember. I have my brother. That's enough."

Feliks cocked his head to the side a little. " _Parents,_  as in multiple. Would you want to put all of that responsibility on him?" A pause from the boy, then Erik shook his head, looking down. "Well, is there anyone else you look up to?"

Erik seemed to think it over. "No... maybe the knight...but only a little!"

Feliks laughed softly. "So I shouldn't tell him you said so?"

"Don't even think about it." The Icelandic boy glared up at the Pol; all the practicing copying his brother had paid off. Sort of. He got about half the reaction that Nikolas could.

"You're a lot like Prince Nikolas, you know."

Erik stood a little straighter. "Really?"

"You both have that 'I'm a wounded soul' look about you, plus you're both adorable."

"I am not! That makes me sound like some weak kid, and I'm not weak!"

Feliks dissolved into giggles and helped the boy finish packing, trying to hold back his smile to avoid the Icelander's wrath.

On the other side of the castle, a certain Dane was just finding an old friend. Mathias found himself being waved over by a familiar head of blond hair and a couple of bright blue eyes. "Hey man!"

"Alfie! How've you been?"

Alfred grinned, showing off his pearly whites. "Great, man! Nothing really going on, but you know! Just being a hero!"

Mathias laughed, pulling him into a one-armed hug before releasing him. "As always. Hey, have you heard from Mattie lately?"

The blonde nodded, his grin falling into a warmer smile then into his stunned look. "Actually, yeah! He's getting married! To a prince! When did that happen?!"

Mathias shrugged. "About four months ago, actually." He laughed more at the look on Alfred's face. "Gil's brother went all the way from Germany to northern Finland to bring him back, and then Gil wanted Mattie as his queen. Crazy, right?"

The man seemed to take that offensively. "Crazy? Crazy?! Mat, he didn't even ask me!"

"I know." He clapped the soldier on the shoulder. "But hey, had you been there and not on the warfront, I'm sure he would-," Mat stopped, really thinking that through, then shook his head. "Yeah, never mind."

"I'll talk with them when I get there." Al seemed to remember something. "What about you, dude? I heard something went down this morning."

The Dane nodded a little. "Yeah, so you know the oldest prince, Nikolas?" Alfred nodded, gesturing for him to continue. "Well we're in love. And we always spend nights together. I sneak out of his room early every day so no one catches us. But this morning…" He trailed off, giving Alfred a look that described it all.

Alfred winced. "Ouch. What happened? He throw a fit?"

"No, man, the king told Nikolas that he had to either give me up and return to normal castle life or he would get kicked out. He chose to be kicked out."

Al nodded a little, thinking it through. "That's harsh... but I guess it's cool he chose you, though, man."

Mathias smiled, happy that it was him that the Norwegian had chosen. "I like the choice, but that brings me to why I was looking for you."

This interested the soldier. "Yeah?"

"We have to leave, but we can't leave Erik behind."

The grin reappeared on the man's face as Mathias said those words. "Leave everything to the hero!" He paused. "So what exactly is the plan?"

The Dane grinned back, glad he could still count on one of his oldest friends. "I was hoping you'd say that. Okay so, tonight I'm gonna send Nikolas ahead to our meet spot. It's a mile east. I need you to be on guard duty for Erik's room. You let me in, we pretend to knock you out, I grab Erik, then as soon as we're far enough away, sound the alarm."

"Sounds like a plan! Dude! We should have code names too!"

"Dude! You're so right!"

Alfred grinned; he had been thinking of one for a while now. "So I'll be alpha dog because the hero always gets important sounding names, right?"

Mathias laughed. "Sure, sure. As long as I can be Hrothgar the Bloodied."

Al's jaw dropped. "Duuuuude. That's epic."

"I know right? He was my great, great, great, great, great grandpa and the best Viking that ever lived." Al's grin just got bigger. "So what have you been up to? Mattie told me you guys send letters pretty often," Mat's tone was joking. "How come I don't ever get any?"

"You've been busy playing knight in shining armor, man. Besides, I'm his brother. He'd better be sending me letters! It's not often enough, but at least I know he's well. Like I said, though, not much goin' on, dude. It's just me and my trusty sword Doom Darkness Destruction III."

Mathias groaned at the sound of the sword's name. "You still have that thing?"

"Of course, dude! Never go anywhere without it!"

A near whine came from the Dane. "It's probably one of the worst swords I have ever seen, though! How do you even use it?!"

Alfred pouted. "Hey! Don't offend DDD III! It's been with me forever! I can't abandon my faithful comrade!" Mathias just kept shaking his head. "Best sword I ever got, though. Sure, it's not as epic now, but you know."

There was only one thing good about that sword, and Mat was about to hear it again, grinning as he said the magic words. "I forget, where did you even get it?"

Now, every time these words are spoken, he comes up with another story, something to make him sound heroic, brave, and courageous. He would never admit the real story, even though Mathias himself had been there at the time. "Dude! I've told you that story a thousand times! You can't forget the origins of DDD III! It was an epic battle." It wasn't. "I was surrounded by hundreds of soldiers, fighting for my life!" Actually he was in his first week of his training camp and just needed a new sword. "Dude, it was intense!" Only because he was panicking. "You should have been there! I thought I was going to die! But then... I saw Doom Darkness Destruction III... it saved my life." Actually it just allowed him to defeat another trainee in the single combat arena by the  _slightest_  bit.

Mathias gave him a knowing smile. "I ask 'cause last time it was a dragon."

Panic shot through Alfred's eyes. "I-! It was a dragon! The soldiers were all dragons!" Mat couldn't hold back his laughter any longer, making the blonde in front of him pout. "Come on, man! I'm serious!"

"Al, you haven't  _ever_  been serious in your life!"

"Yes I have! Like... umm... well, there've been a few times!"

Mathias wiped at his eyes, still chuckling. "I knew there was a reason I missed you."

"I'm the hero! How can you not miss me?"


	17. Knight and Cross Dresser

Nikolas pressed a kiss to his lover's lips as the last bag was packed into a carriage. "You better be careful, idiot."

Mat grinned at him. "Always! I have someone special to get back to now, you know."

He got a small smile in return. "I'll give you till tomorrow morning."

The knight chuckled softly; he knew how long it should take. "I'll be back sooner than that. This'll be easy, in and out." The Norwegian still didn't look convinced. "I've got a good feeling about this."

Nikolas sighed quietly. "At least you do."

Feliks came over, not wanting to interrupt but having to anyway. "We should be leaving."

Nik grabbed the front of Mathias's shirt, dragging him into one more kiss. "Stay safe, Mathias, and keep my brother safe." Mat nodded and stroked his thumb down his lover's cheek, eyes promising what his mouth could never say in truth.

Mathias helped the prince into the carriage and watched him for as long as he could, ripping his eyes away only when he knew that Nikolas wouldn't be able to see him any longer.

Then it was time for him to go get the littlest prince. He had about two hours to get there and maybe half an hour to get him out. He managed to set up an escape route subtly, placing things _just_  in the way, making sure that all the maids and servants were far away from Erik. The only one who was supposed to be there was Alfred.

"Hey, man."

Al grinned wide as he saw his friend walk into the hallway. "Hey. He's all ready for ya, dude." Knowing that the escape would be hard to accomplish, he had made sure the little guy was ready as soon as he had gotten the post in front of his door.

"Awesome. Ready to be knocked out?" Mathias pulled his sword out of its scabbard.

Alfred looked at him warily, leaning away, his grin dimming as the situation became more apparent. "It's still just acting, right, man? You're not going to actually knock me out now, are you?"

Mat laughed nervously, scratching the back of his head with one hand. "Well, you see... Yeah, I am."

The soldier shook his head, backing into the door. "What?! Dude! That's not cool!"

The Dane shrugged a little. He didn't like doing any more than Al liked having it done. "Sorry, it's the only way you can't get in trouble."

Alfred scanned the knight in front of him before sighing dramatically. "Fine." He took a couple steps forward. "I guess it's for a good cause. Go ahead. Do your worst."

"Thanks, man." Mat raised his sword and smacked his friend in the back of the head with the hilt with just enough force to knock him to the ground, unconscious. Stepping over his buddy, he opened the door to the little prince's room. "Erik?"

Erik walked over from his bed, puffin in his arms and a bag on his back. "I'm ready."

"The rest of your bags were with Feliks, right?" Erik bobbed his head, almost smacking his puffin with his chin. Mat held out his hand and took the boy out, stepping over the body of his friend again, making sure that the boy didn't just step on Alfred.

Mathias kept the Icelander close, leading him to the end of the hall, rounding the corner and seeing the guards there, backs to the duo. Mat quickly tugged the boy back and down the other exit to the hall, but more guards were there, these ones coming after the two.

Mat grabbed Erik's hand and pulled him the other way, intending to go out the boy's window, but the guards from the other hall had advanced toward them so they were surrounded. In defense, the knight yanked Erik behind him and pulled out his sword, ready to defend him from the men circling them.

Erik clung to the knight's shirt, worried about what might happen.

The highest guard stepped forward, a scroll in his hand. He opened the seal and unrolled it, reading the parchment. "Sir Mathias Kohler. You are under arrest for attempted kidnapping of the Prince Erik."

Mathias sighed to himself. "Of course I am."

One of the guards grabbed the prince's arm tightly. "Sire."

Erik struggled, clinging tighter to Mat's shirt. "No! Let me go!"

"Erik!" The Dane turned on his heel and grabbed the little prince around the waist, trying to keep him close, pushing away the armored man.

Something solid hit Mat in the head, causing him to lose his balance and grip. "Mathias!" Erik tried to keep his hold on the Dane, but the guards had him, and no matter how much as he hit them, they wouldn't let go. "Release me! He's done nothing!"

At least four of the guards were needed to subdue the knight; even with his head swimming, he struggled. The high guard was finally able to get shackles on him when he was distracted. "Erik!"

"It's not kidnapping! Let me  _go_! Mathias!" Pulling at his restraints and going after his captors the whole way, the men gagged him so he couldn't wake any of the castle's inhabitants.

A looming figure walked up to the boy, a smile on his face. "Erik, have you been hurt?" Erik's eyes shot up, and he glared at the man he had so admired until this day. "You are not pleased to be free, my son?"

"No. I want to leave."

His father was so tired of hearing such things. It was all the Dane's fault. "You will not leave, and that man will be punished for his crimes against the crown."

Erik pulled away from the guards, shrugging them off. "No! He's done nothing! If it takes me staying, then fine! Whatever you want! But let him go be with Nikolas!"

A stinging pain bloomed in the Icelander's cheek, his face whipping to the side, and he saw his father's hand lower. "You will silence yourself! Your deliberate insolence has done you no good!"

Erik's eyes lowered, tears budding in the corners. "I hate you."

The king nodded to his guards. "Put him in his room." They did as told and brought attention to the unconscious man on the ground, nudging him with his foot. "And wake this soldier up."

As the king walked away, one of the guards kneeled down next to his friend. "Oh man, Alfred." Al sat up and rubbed his head, groaning. "You would have loved to be in this fight. Can you believe someone actually tried to kidnap the prince?"

"Tried? But-" He stopped suddenly, realizing what had happened. "Seriously, dude?! What happened? You gotta tell me!" He had to know what was going to go down now that this plan had fallen through.

The brunette man was eager to tell the tale. "So that banished knight guy, Kohler, he tried to take the little brat of a prince, but we already knew of his plans, so… Kohler is gonna be beheaded in three days, and the prince is under house arrest. It's weird, though, I'd never think the  _king_  was the type to hit his kids." His tone was a bit disapproving.

Alfred tried not to freak out too much, knowing that he couldn't help if he got in trouble too. "He hit him?! Dude! That's not cool! And beheaded?! Isn't that a little harsh?"

"I know, right? But apparently big boss man assumes that it was Kohler who took the banished prince Nikolas away too. Saddest thing is, the kid was calling out for Kohler. As if he wanted to go with him."

"He probably did. Wouldn't blame the kid at this point." Alfred sighed silently. This would be difficult.

"But hey, what're ya gonna do, right? How's your head?" Al shrugged it off, standing up, still rubbing his head. "Well, I'd better go help with prisoner stuff. Later, man."

Al waited for the man to leave before knocking softly at the door, leaning against it a bit. "Hey Erik? You okay, lil dude?"

A small voice came through the door, accompanied by a sniffle. "No."

"It'll be okay, lil dude. It'll all work out."

A muffled sniffle came through again, Erik trying very hard not to cry. "No, it won't. Mathias is going to die, my brother's alone, and I'm locked up here!"

"I'll get to your brother as soon as I can. We'll figure something out. Trust me. I'm a hero."

In the light of the nearing dawn, Alfred was able to switch shifts with the current jailer. "Hey dude."

Mathias looked up from his hands, slumped against the bars of his cell. "Hey man." He contemplated asking what had happened with Erik, but he could guess. "What's my sentence? Or do I even want to know?"

Al had checked with the jailer to confirm earlier. Honestly, that jailer wasn't very good. "You have three days."

The Dane sighed softly. It wasn't exactly what he had had in mind for the next few days. "I'm assuming some kind of horrible death awaits me?"

"You're to be beheaded."

"Right." He paled visibly, rubbing at his neck with a free hand, smearing the black buildup from the bars onto his skin. Then a thought came rushing into his brain. "Oh crap. Nikolas is gonna freak! He'll kill me if he finds out I'm scheduled to die!"

Alfred went back to tell the prince and his new maid "friend" Mathias had been right. Nikolas was about ready to beat him over the head with an axe, but the focus would be saving him  _from_ being killed for now. By the morning they had a working plan, and by the time Erik woke up to the Pol hovering over him, putting something into his hair, it had already begun.

"I'm trying to disguise you, Erik. Just, like, stay calm." Erik sat up and saw his pillow was stained with something dark and very lightly sour-smelling. The boy was mostly able to stay still while the maid did his work. Only when the makeup bag was revealed and the paints and powders were applied to his face did he start squirming and fussing. Luckily for the both of the men, Feliks was very used to that and got it all done quickly. "Perfect! Look." He turned the boy to the mirror in the corner of his room, smiling brightly. "Crazy, right?"

Erik could only nod, slightly stunned at how different he really looked. Feliks then pulled out some clothes, ushering him into them. "Okay, from here in, you are my nephew. Ready to go?"

"Yes."

Feliks went to the door and peeked out, making sure that no one would see them, then grabbed the boy's hand, calmly walking him out of the room. Erik was terrified that they would get caught again, but no one even looked his way. With Feliks by his side, holding his hand, with the little changes that he had been given, no one could tell who he was. Evidently this should have been their first plan.

The Pol smiled softly as they got to the garden, going down and hugging him, gesturing to a path through the shrubbery that Nikolas had shown him when they had first gotten there. It was the place that Erik went through as a toddler and was snatched by the original kidnappers. "Nikolas wants you to go to the lake."

"Thank you." Erik nodded and pulled away, waving before dashing down the nearly hidden path, going to the center of the unofficial maze where a large body of water hit. On the edge of the water stood his older brother. "Nikolas!" He felt his body move before his brain commanded it, running over to hug his brother around the waist.

Nikolas sighed in relief, hugging back. "Did you get out okay?" Erik nodded, slowly letting the Norwegian go. "Good. Follow me. We need to get you out of here."

Within the castle, the other part of the plan was just about to go down. Feliks had to start it within twenty minutes. Nikolas would get to the preplanned spot within ten and leave Erik there, hidden until they finished the rest of this.

"Okay, are you ready for this, Al?"

A grin formed upon his lips. "Born ready."

The Polish man worked up some tears and stormed into the throne room. "You bastard!" He screeched, drawing the confused attention of the room, including the king, who was speaking with his advisor.

Alfred chased after him. "Calm down! It was only one night!"

That certainly didn't stop Feliks. "One night!  _Only one night_!" He pushed past some of the nobles in his way. "You are the  _worst_  person I have ever known!" A sob broke through his lips.

Alfred seemed to seem this offensively, shouting back. "I am not! What about that guy I saw you with last week?! You looked pretty happy together!"

Feliks stopped and rounded on the blond with a glare that could quite possibly kill. "He's my cousin, you ass!  _I,_ unlike  _some_  people, don't cheat on the ones I love!"

This was very confusing for all in the room; some of the guards and other courtiers had come at the shouting, curious. They came in, seeing one of the other guards arguing with a small blond who appeared to be wearing Alfred's clothing. Some of them gestured to their friends to come and look.

Al's irritation seeped into his words. "How was I supposed to know he was your cousin?! You've _never_ let me meet _any_  of your family!  _You're_ the one hiding something! Isn't that right?!"

The smaller man poked him in chest harshly. "First of all: Ask, idiot! Had you even bothered to ask and maybe show you care, I would have told you! Second: I don't want them to be mean to you! Have you ever considered that they might be the kind of family you don't want to be around!?"

"I  _have_  asked! And who knows what I'd think about them!? You  _never_  tell me  _anything_  anymore!" He took the maid by the shoulders, grip tight, or so it appeared.

The Pol winced, pushing him away. "Because you are CONSTANTLY giving me reasons to not trust you! Like last night! I found that  _whore_  in your bed! You didn't even bother to  _try_  to cover it up! I thought-" He broke off with another sob, pulling away to turn the other way.

"How do I know you're not acting? That you're just making excuses? You need to talk to me!"

The king sat in his throne, watching the scene. "What is happening, and why is happening in my throne room?" But he was ignored. By everyone.

"I won't have you break my heart again Alfred! I thought I could depend on you. I thought you were a good man!" Feliks looked over his shoulder at Al. "You're nothing more than those fools picked up at taverns and I'm no better for thinking you could be different, that you could be kind..."

Al's eyes pleaded with the younger. "I am good! It was a single night! It won't happen again! You know I'm better than that!"

"Do I?! Do I really?" Feliks glared. "You said you wouldn't drink so much! You know what'd happened  _that_  night!? I was dragging your butt back to the barracks! Because you were so drunk you could barely stand! And that's only  _one_  example!"

"One of how many?! Huh?! And I  _have_ been working on my drinking! And for what?! For this?!" He gestured to the situation angrily.

Green eyes narrowed at him. "Fifteen! And Apparently  _this_!" He pointed at himself. "Wasn't enough for you!"

"It was and it still is!" A crowd had gathered around the edges of the room, guards everywhere, wondering what their friend was doing.

"Then why?! Why would you be so cruel?!"

Alfred faltered. "I-! I don't know! I just did!"

They needed to make more time but Alfred was running out of ideas, luckily Feliks had a couple tricks still up his sleeves. "You're an ass!"

The royal prat couldn't take anymore though and stood up. "What is going on here?!"

Al pointed to the Pol. "Ask him!  _He_  blew it out of proportion!"

Of course, the king looked expectantly at Feliks who already had a plan. "I'm sorry your majesty, but my lover- excuse me  _EX_  –lover-" He glared at the still pointing blond. "-was cheating on me."

Al's eyes almost betrayed him. "Ex?! EX?! What do you mean?! It was just once! It won't happen again!"

The king tried to tell them to get out but was cut off by the angry cross-dresser. "Well I can't very well trust you anymore now can I!?"

"Yes you can!"

"How?" He looked back to the soldier. "How can I, knowing what I know?"

"You just have to! After all this time-!"

Feliks held up a hand silencing him. "After all this time,  _you_  decided that it wasn't worth any of the time you put in."

Al took the steps back towards him. "It was - it  _is_  worth it! I'm sorry, okay?!"

Feliks broke his gaze. "How can I be sure it won't happen again?"

"Because I'll promise you it won't!"

"You swear? On all you hold dear?"

"Yes!"

This quieted the Pol. "I-"

"It won't happen again. I love you." He pulled the blond into his arms.

Feliks seemed to try to stop a smile before throwing his arms around Alfred's neck, hugging him tight. "I love you too." His voice was choked up, and Al's arms tightened around him.

It seemed the king had finally recognized his own soldier. "Captain Alfred Jones! What the hell are you doing?!"

Al looked up, seeming to have just noticed him. "Um. Making up with my boyfriend."

A hard look came across the king's face. "Being with a man is not right. Leave my throne room immediately. The battle master will deal with you later."

"What's so wrong with being with a man?"

"I am king, and therefore my word is beyond contestation. Get out."

Feliks looked over his shoulder at the man in the crown. "What happens if I just start making out with Alfie right here?"

"What's the worst you could do? Yell and get all red-faced?" The Pol giggled a little at that.

"Get out of my throne room."

Al pulled away from the embrace. "Think we've been here long enough?" Feliks nodded his head a few times. It had been maybe half an hour. "May I ask you a question?" The king, glaring, nodded once. A grin came upon the soldier's lips. "So, Your  _Majesty_...does this hurt?" And slapped the king as hard as he could across the face. " _That's_  for your sons."

Guards grabbed them and started shoving them out. "Thank you  _very_ much! You've been a  _fantastic_  audience~! We'll be here all week!" Feliks laughed out.

Meanwhile, in the dungeons of King Faere's castle, Nikolas was walking right up to his lover's cell and unlocking it with the keys he found on the hook. "Mathias?"

Mat stood quickly and went straight to his lover's voice. "Nikolas! What are you doing here? How did you get in?"

"I'm here to get you out. Feliks and Alfred are acting as a distraction." Nik pulled the door open and grabbed his lover's hand.

"You guys should all be halfway to Prussia right now!" Mathias was given one of the most incredulous looks he had ever gotten from the Norwegian. "Did you guys get Erik out?"

"Yes. He's already safe." Mathias pulled his lover into his arms tight.

"Thanks."

Nikolas hugged back then smacked his lover upside the head. "This is the last time you get close to death." Mat chuckled and Nik dragged him towards the passage that led out of the dank dungeon. "Now let's get you out."

Along the way they passed Mathias's stuff piled in a corner, and the knight dove for his armor and threw it on, knowing they had little to no time. He may have hated the cold metal most of the time, but having it forcibly taken off him had made him miss the feel.

As soon as he was finished he was dragged into the tunnel, shoving the small door behind them closed. "Almost there," was the prince's soft whisper. Making as little noise as possible, they approached the door at the end of the passage. "At least a few of the exterior guards will still be out there."

Mathias nodded before realizing that it was too dark for Nik to see him. "Yeah. Do we wanna sneak or knock them out?"

"Knock them out. There's nowhere to hide before they could see us."

Mathias opened the door slowly so as to not bring attention to the movement. His actions were slowed slightly by the soreness of his muscles, but it barely stopped him from knocking out all three of the guards nearby. Nikolas grabbed his had as soon as it was clear and led him to where he had stashed his little brother. "Where are we meeting everyone else?"

"This way." He was led to the edge of the forest, and a familiar bird came into view, reassuring both men that the Icelander was still there. Horses were waiting to make the dash away from the horrible castle.

And as Mathias made sure they were all ready, he glanced around, looking for the boy. "Where are all of them?"

"Alfred and Feliks are probably still inside. Erik, you can come out now. "

Rustling noises started from a bush nearby, and a smile broke out on the Dane's face when he saw the boy emerge. "Erik, you okay?" The Icelander nodded and felt himself pulled into a quick hug by the older man.

Two voices came into range, both familiar and laughing. "Oh, that was like amazing; most fun I've had in  _weeks_!" Feliks giggled at the rest of the people. "Al even slapped him!"

Nikolas nodded approvingly. "Good." His father needed to be slapped by someone who had the strength to make it really sting.

Mathias and Alfred helped everyone onto their horses, and away they went. The knight decided that they had to have direction and a general idea of where they were going, aside from south. "We're gonna need to take a boat to Denmark, then it'll be about a week until we make it to the Prussian border. After that, I'd say six days to get to the castle."

Alfred grinned all around. "Time for an epic adventure!" A couple of chuckles came from the group, but the quiet settled easily around them. "Have I told you all how I got Doom Darkness Destruction III?"


	18. Knight and Funny Named Water

In the morning most of the camp was awoken by the smell of stew from the night before being heated up. Mathias nudged his buddy with the toe of his shoe from across the fire. "Huh? What?" Mat grinned and held out a bowl. Alfred was best motivated by food, especially in the morning. "Oh. Okay, dude." He snatched it and started wolfing it down, not going to wait and be chastised by his manners by the princes again. The night before he had been thoroughly verbally bashed.

Speaking of, the older prince came out of the tent he had shared with his brother the night before as Mathias and Alfred were on guard duty. "Good morning." Mathias pulled him into his lap and gave him a soft kiss that was happily returned. "Feliks still asleep?" He got a nod from both men. "I'll wake him and Erik in a moment, then. I assume nothing happened during your shift?"

Alfred sat up straighter, putting his empty bowl down, his laughing eyes showing how excited he was. "Oh. You totally missed it, dude. There was this huge creature I had to go fight off while Mat watched the campsite. I was a perfect hero!"

Nikolas gave him one of his perfected expressions of disbelief. "Right."

The Dane chuckled softly at the exchange. "It was all calm."

Alfred pouted and whined at his friend. "Dude!" He only got a grin from Mat in return.

Nik rolled his eyes at the childishness of the soldier. "You can fight your 'creature' tonight when you're on guard duty again."

"It was real, Nik!"

A sleepy Pol came out of a tent, rubbing his eyes and yawning. "Morning, all." He was handed a bowl and gave the person (he wasn't sure who) a nod in thanks. He was followed by the little Icelander, who was given the same, and finally everyone had been given food, which meant that Alfred was going in for thirds.

"So more traveling today, right, Mat?" He got nods from many more than Mathias, but it was a rather obvious question. "I had an epic dream, but it's way too cool to share."

The knight gave him a look. "If it's 'fun,' keep it to yourself. There are children here."

"Chill, man. It wasn't anything like that." He watched the Icelander get more curious but pass it off as nothing, then glanced to his friend to see the protective vibe around him. "You're acting like you're his dad or something."

Erik glared at both men of arms. "He is not my father." Mathias was better than his father. But he would never say that out loud; Erik could barely say it to himself. He wanted to be on better terms with the knight, but something was always nagging at the back of his mind….

Alfred was ready to drop it, letting a silence fall over the camp, Nikolas and Feliks determining if it was something they needed to get into, before Al started talking again. "So who wants to race me in taking down their tent the fastest?"

The Polish man sighed and shook his head. "Alfred, sweetness, it's too early."

"Is not!"

Feliks put a hand on the soldier's arm. "Yes. It is."

Alfred pouted but decided that he should go take care of the tents anyways and started packing the camp up as everyone else finished breakfast and Mathias was busy tending to the horses.

Erik looked around the camp. "Anyone see Mr. Puffin?"

Mathias yelled over his shoulder in reply. "Where was he last?"

"I thought he came out with me this morning." He checked the tent he had slept in the night before, but the bird was nowhere to be seen. "Not here…."

Nikolas came over after packing away the cooking equipment. "He wouldn't have gone far."

That only seemed to worry the Icelander even more. Where could his puffin have gone? And how had he not been noticed? He had slept with the boy the night before; he knew the feel of those feathers under his fingers.

The Dane started looking around the edges of the slowly collapsing campsite as Alfred pulled things down and started packing them with an efficiency that could only be attributed to someone who spent most of his life on the move, in the military. "He's a puffin; he's not moving very fast either."

"Think he ran off and found a Mrs. Puffin?" Al's tone was joking, but Mathias gave him a hard look.

"Shut up, man. Don't even suggest that he ran." The knight kept his voice down, hoping Erik didn't hear Alfred's tactless comment.

A sound, a squawk came from the bushes near the camp, and Erik ran towards it. "Mr. Puffin?" Mathias quickly followed, not wanting to leave the boy on his own in the woods. "There!" The little black and white bird was caught in a netted trap, his wings tangled in the tight bonds.

Mathias was still a few steps behind. "Did you find him?"

Erik started pulling at the ropes but couldn't get anything off the bird. "Yes, but I can't get him out!" He tried pulling harder, but Mr. Puffin just became more and more distressed.

Mathias pulled a knife out of his side scabbard and cut through the binds quickly, making sure not to injure the bird in the process. "There you go."

"Stupid bird." Erik quickly gathered the now calm puffin into his arms. "Thank you, Mathias." Mat smiled at him and took him back to camp, the Icelander chastising his pet for leaving, and weirdly enough, the puffin seemed to get more annoyed with that, nipping at the boy for being so overprotective.

Getting on the horses and getting out of the camp was actually relatively easy after that. Everything was taken down, scattered, and put out so there was very little trace of them being there. The only issue was a certain soldier trying to sing traveling songs. "Row me bully boys, row!"

Mathias chuckled softly and sang along, his voice actually pleasant to listen to. "And we'll sing and we'll dance, and bid farewell to France!"

"Row me bully boys, row!"

Erik looked pleadingly at the maid and his brother. "Make it stop."

Mat and Al burst into laughter, cutting off their song for the moment. Mathias kept talking, though, sensing that Al would ask how long it would take to get there, as he had every day since they left. "Good news is that by tomorrow we'll reach the Skaggerak, and then it'll be a straight shot to the palace."

Alfred sighed dramatically. "One day I'm going to have the power to teleport. I swear, dude. Traveling is only epic when there's some sort of sweet quest." He sighed and looked around to his traveling companions. "Maybe I could rule a kingdom."

Nikolas only had to say two words – "fewer adventures" – and Al decided that he would never want to rule a kingdom.

"Never mind."

That night, when the sun had gone down and the fire was slowly burning, small but comfortable, Nikolas leaned against his lover, looking up at the stars, wondering if he should check on his little brother. "We're close."

The Dane nodded slowly, wrapping an arm around the Norwegian. "I can't wait to get there so we can just go to a quiet place."

"And be done with running away." Another nod. "I think all of us are ready for this to end. I want some time with you as well."

They shared a kiss just as the Icelander came back from the river, glaring at the scene. "Dishes are done." The boy gave the Dane a hard look. "We need to talk."

Mathias stood. "Okay… Here, or…?" He had a feeling he knew what it was going to be about. The same thing it always was when it was Erik. His relationship with Nikolas.

"Just alone." Nikolas went to his tent, but Erik still led the way away from the camp. "Yes or no. Did Nikolas tell you to rescue me from my father's castle?"

"No." Mathias hadn't actually expected that question, and the fact that the Icelander was glaring him down confused him further.

"Liar."

Mat blinked, really examining the boy. Erik was tense, obviously worried, hurting. "Why would I lie about that?"

Erik's hands tightened into fists. "Because you think I don't know you only did it to make my brother happy."

"Erik, he didn't ask me because by the time we realized we needed to break you out too, there was no question that you were coming with us. I didn't need to be convinced or swayed by the fact that I  _do_  want to make your brother happy, because your father is a cruel, heartless man and there was no way either of us were going to let you, a child, stay in such an awful place to be raised by that man."

The boy wanted to argue but let that one go. He knew how bad it might have been for him. "Fine, but that doesn't mean you haven't used me."

"For what? How have I ever used you?"

Erik was near yelling at the knight. "To make my brother love you more! You see me as nothing more than his brother! Just some way to satisfy him! I don't even think you respect me for me!"

"Erik," Mathias sighed softly. "I don't ever think that I could see you as anything but you. You're that kid that found us, you're the kid who escaped from Silovice, you're the kid who turned out to be Nikolas's brother, you're the kid that hates me for a reason I can't find, you're the kid whose approval I would love to have, and Erik, you're the kid who I can consider family. You're not some scam for Niko, and nothing I can do for you will ever do me anything in his heart. Because it's not my heart to change or sway. I don't have control of anyone's other than my own, and even that is hard."

The Icelander took a step back, not knowing how to respond. He hadn't even considered that the Dane would take it as easily as he did, nor did he expect to be hit off his guard. "I... how do I know you're not just saying things? You have the real truth to hide."

"Why? What real truth? And why hide it? If I was really doing this just for Niko, why would I have bothered to do half of the things I do and have done for you?"

"Because he's more important!" Erik felt the wetness in his eyes and rubbed furiously at them, hating that he could be upset by it.

Mathias ran a hand through his hair and knelt so they were the same height. "There's no way to convince you. Why should I try, knowing you won't believe me? Why am I even bothering to ask? You won't have faith in a single word I say." Both of them were silent for a moment. "What can I do that could possibly change your mind about me?"

"I can't approve until I trust you, until I know you respect me." He paused, seeing the Dane's confusion. "Prove it to me somehow. Maybe we need time together or something. I don't want to. I really don't, but... Away from Nikolas. Then maybe I can see what you're like then. And don't tell him what we're doing."

The knight shook his head. "That I won't do. I don't wanna keep things from him." The boy was ready to protest, but the man held up a hand, stopping him. "Erik, take it or leave it. If he asks, I'm not going to lie to him."

Erik was silent a moment, then spoke out. "Do you have to tell him what we do during that time?"

"No."

"Good I-"

The sound of oncoming horses and men yelling, their voices harsh, came into the edges of the Dane's earshot. "C'mon!" He grabbed the boy and pulled him towards the camp. "We have to get back!"

Erik stumbled along behind him. "What's going on?"

Mathias barely looked back. "Didn't you hear that? Soldiers!"

The boy's eyes went huge, nearly tripping again in his surprise. "But how could they have found us?!"

"We still leave tracks. That's how they found us." He whipped around and picked the boy up as he ran into the camp, going straight for the horses. "Soldiers!" He yelled out, alerting the camp.

Alfred scrambled to his feet, pulling out his sword. "What do you mean? How?"

Nikolas threw as much stuff as he could onto the horses with Feliks. "Just get moving!"

Mathias grabbed the bird that had been sleeping next to the warmth of the fire and put him in the boy's arms, putting them both on a horse and wrapping a blanket around him. "Go that way!" He pointed down the road, more a beaten path than anything, but it would do. "Quickly! We'll meet up with you soon!"

"I-! I can't!"

Nikolas came over and pushed a pack into his arms. "Go!" Erik paused just one more moment before leaving as quickly as possible.

The older prince felt himself being lifted and put on a horse. "Now you, Nik!" Beside him, Feliks was pushed onto the other horse by Alfred.

Nikolas glared at his lover. "No! I'm not going to let you get yourself captured again!"

Mathias slapped the reins into his hands. "I'll be fine! They don't want me, they want you! Go three miles down, we'll be there when we can! Find Erik, and both of you keep safe!"

Alfred called out a warning, telling the Dane that he could see the soldiers. An unfamiliar voice called out to them. "Stop the prince!" The Norwegian swore under his breath, snapping the reins, and off the two went, following in the wake of the Icelander.

Alfred grinned at his friend as the castle soldiers came into the now deserted camp. "Oh no you don't."

To be kind, the soldiers were still very inexperienced, and why the king would send them after a known war hero and one of their own, someone they would falter in attacking, was a mystery. Honestly, they should have sent more than five.

Mathias and Alfred finished tying the last knot on the rope and chuckled at the soldiers' attempts to free themselves from their bonds. "Whew."

Alfred laughed loudly and high-fived the knight. "Told you we would win! Good always triumphs!"

"Okay, let's get to everyone else." Mathias grinned and helped Al pack up the rest of the campground, putting it all into packs on the side of their horses. Saying one last goodbye to the captured soldiers, the men hopped onto their horses and trotted down the path towards the others.

Three miles down didn't take long, but no one was waiting for them at the mile marker. The Pol rode in from a side path, tears budding in his eyes.

Alfred was stopped mid-laugh at something the Dane said and walked his horse closer to the man that had pretended to be his lover. "Erik! He's missing!"


	19. Knight and Tenth Heir

In a camp nearby, three people sat around a warm fire. "Mon amour, I have told you a million times! We cannot stop for tea five times a day if we expect to get to Prussia in time for the wedding!"

An English accented voice huffed at the comment. "We will get there just fine, frog. I am not going to miss teatime just because we are traveling, however." A black and white bird with a large orange beak flew into the mostly calm camp, landing on the smaller blonde man. "What the bloody hell? Get off, stupid bird!" He pushed and shoved at the puffin, and it gently fell down to the ground.

The boy sitting next to the fire stood and took a few steps toward it. "It's a puffin."

The Frenchman watched the boy. "Yes. It is a puffin. What it's doing here is the question."

The boy took another step, and the bird hopped away a few times before looking back at the group. The boy looked at it curiously and tried to get close to him again, achieving the same result. "I think he wants one of us to follow him."

The Englishman scoffed softly. "Don't be silly. It's just a bird."

The bird started hopping away again, and the youngest of the group followed. The Frenchman shook his head. "Come back here, mon cheri, we don't want you getting lost in the woods." But the boy didn't listen and followed the little bird into the woods. He had a feeling something was wrong. It led him through trees and bushes, over roots and under branches.

Though it felt like it took forever, it only was a minute or so, not too far from the camp. Curled up against a tree in the dark, it was hard to see him, but there was a younger boy sitting with arms wrapped around his knees. "Hey... Kid? You okay?" The boy with white hair looked up suddenly, surprised at the new person, then shook his head, looking down again. "What's wrong?"

When Erik looked at the new boy, he could tell he was not from anywhere around this area. With an angled chin, nearly black hair, and dark caramel eyes, just a couple years older than he was, the way he looked was just nothing Erik knew. "I don't know where I am or where my brother is."

The boy crouched down to be at his eye level. "What happened? Are you hurt?"

The Icelander was silent for a while. "We were attacked, and I was told to run, but- but my horse got spooked by an animal and took off running. I fell off, and now I can't find them. And I'm okay; it's just a couple of bruises…."

The boy held out his hand. "You can come back to my camp. We can look for your brother in the morning." Erik hesitated again as the unfamiliar boy stood, the hand still offered. "Come with me."

He took it, and the foreigner led him back to a camp with two older blonde men, one with long hair tied back with a ribbon, simple but elegant clothing, and bright blue eyes that reminded Erik of something-  _someone_ , and the other had short messy hair, bright green eyes, and attire that suggested a connection to some sort of royalty. In the light of the fire, Erik could see the extensive red brocade on the other boy's long coat.

The one with the long hair spoke first, the Frenchman. "It looks as if following that bird may have been good after all."

The other man smacked his companion in the arm, glaring at him when he saw the new boy shy away. "Don't scare him, you wanker."

"I won't hurt the child."

The foreigner spoke, wrapping an arm around the Icelander's shoulders. "He's all talk. Trust me. I'm Kaoru, by the way. This is my tutor Arthur Kirkland and his- Well, I'm not exactly sure what he is to Arthur, but he's also the cook. His name is Francis." Kaoru gestured to each of them in turn.

Arthur reached into the sack beside him and brought out a blanket for the Icelander. "A pleasure to meet you...?"

"Erik." Erik hated that his voice was so quiet, but he was still wondering if he could trust these people, not knowing who they were.

Kaoru led him to a seating area and handed him the blanket, Erik quickly pulling it around him. "So how did you end up in these woods? You're not traveling alone, are you?" Again, it was the Englishman; Francis was stoking the fire, distracted.

The Icelander shook his head a little, unsure of what to think of the concern in the green-eyed man's gaze. "I was with my brother, his knight and two others-" he stopped, gulping a little. "But we were attacked and I got separated from them."

Now the Frenchman got involved. "Who attacked you?"

Erik shook his head again, silver locks falling into his face, deciding that he wouldn't reveal his royal status. Arthur was gentle. It was obvious that he had practice with children, though as a tutor, Erik surmised that he probably had. "Were they bandits, perhaps?"

"I... I don't know."

Kaoru decided to ask the next question; his curiosity could usually be kept under wraps, but this boy made him want to ask, for some unknown reason. "Where were you headed?"

"To a friend's wedding." Erik was going to be as vague as possible, hoping that they wouldn't realize too much and end up in a situation that he regretted.

Francis brightened a little. "To the Prussian wedding? That is where we are headed."

Well, apparently being vague wasn't going to be much of a help. "Really?"

Kaoru nodded. "I have to represent my family at the wedding."

"Why?" Erik looked the foreigner over carefully; sure, the clothing looked expensive, and he guessed that Kaoru did have a regal air to him, and maybe he had amazing posture, and- oh. Well, he felt stupid having not recognized the cues that were so obvious.

Francis spoke for the boy who was apparently some sort of important person. "He is the sixth son of the King of the Eastern Lands."

The foreigner sighed and leaned against the remains of a tree trunk, hands locked behind his head. "Basically the one prince they can afford to have gallivanting off into the world, risking his life."

Surprise ran through the Icelander's body. The casualness of that statement hit him harder than it should have. "You're a prince too?" The last word was accidental, but something told Erik that he could trust the boy in front of him.

"Too?" Kaoru gave him a knowing look from the side, his mouth making no movement, his eyes doing all the talking.

The Frenchman offered a cup of hot tea that had been heating in a pot over the fire when he arrived. "Are you one of the northern princes?" Erik nodded and took the hot drink gratefully. "May I ask from which kingdom?"

"Iceland."

Arthur visibly winced at that. "Silovice's son? You said you were traveling with your brother, though. I was only aware of Silovice having one son."

Erik shook his head. "He wasn't my real father. I was kidnapped from my home when I was little."

Francis was appalled by the notion of kidnapping. He was extremely against any harm coming to children; there was no excuse to ever injure a child. Ever. And knowing of Silovice's reputation, he had most certainly hurt the Icelander. "That is horrible!" Erik nodded a little, taking a sip of his tea. "And you said that your brother has a knight? What kind of a person is he?"

"He's a prince too. Prince Nikolas Bondevik of the Norwegian Kingdom."

Obviously news that was as juicy as runaway princesses went around fast. "Wasn't he that prince who came to the castle for Princess Elizaveta?" Arthur was turned toward his companion.

Said Frenchman nodded; he had worked for the family for a short period of time. But he still had friends that would send him letters from that castle. Which told him something very important. "Oh mon dieu! That means that the knight is Mathias!"

Erik looked up sharply, stunned. "You know him?" They nodded, and Erik was going to ask more but a yawn interrupted his words.

The English man looked him over, tutting softly. "Did you at least have a warm dinner? I know it's getting late, but if you would like something, I can cook for you."

Francis's eyes went as wide as saucers. "Oh no, you do not! You will poison the child without meaning to!"

Kaoru sighed and rolled his eyes at the pair, his voice just loud enough that Erik could make out his words. "Not this again."

Erik glanced over, confused. "I will not poison him! My cooking is perfectly safe!"

"It is not!  _I_  will prepare him something if he is hungry."

Kaoru leaned over and nudged the Icelander, face nearly blank. "Arthur can't cook at all, and ever since his son ate the cooking  _once_ , he thought it got better. Francis is a master chef, though, and refuses to let Arthur accidentally kill someone." His was voice was still quiet as to not alert the now bickering pair.

Erik nodded and said his next response loud enough that it would catch the attention of the two adults. "Its fine. I'm not hungry anyway."

Francis pushed the Englishman back into his seat. "I won't let him cook, I promise."

The youngest shook his head, though, the empty feeling within him not being based on food. Kaoru seemed to be able to sense his wanting to leave and nudged him again. "Would you like to get away from them? To quiet, I mean." The Icelander nodded quickly, not knowing how to deal with the weirdness any longer. "It's a bit more quiet here." Kaoru was much more used to it, or so it seemed. "What should I know about you, your highness?"

The foreigner flopped on his bedroll, rolling out another for the Icelander. "I don't know. There's nothing special to say." Erik sat down gingerly, wondering what to think of the other.

"Well, what should I know about you as a person?"

"I'm almost thirteen, I guess. And I have a puffin and a brother with an annoying knight for a lover."

Kaoru's eyes scanned him, making him feel very exposed. It made him squirm. "You are young still." How did he manage to sound so much older than he was?

"How old are you?"

"Almost fifteen." Erik nearly pouted. He didn't want to be treated like a baby by someone only a couple years older than himself.

"Then don't call me young. I'm not some child."

They were interrupted by the sounds of the Englishman yelling at his French companion and the irritated responses from the Frenchman. In the shadowed outlines, the boys could see that one of them, most likely Francis, threw his hands above his head with a shout and stomped away to his tent, the one left behind turning away, arms crossed over his chest.

"You're younger than me." Kaoru chuckled softly at the indignant expression on the Icelander's face.

"By two years!" Erik huffed and crossed his arms over his cheat, much like the man next to the fire. A small smirk pulled at the corners of the foreigner's mouth. The Icelander wished he could ignore it or even get mad, but something stopped him. They were quiet for a few minutes, watching the silhouette of the Englishman look back toward the tent, then the hurried walk he made to where the Frenchman was, hesitating before moving again. He opened the flap of the tent and joined him. No yelling was heard, and Kaoru knew that whatever had started the fight had been forgiven. Francis didn't like to sleep alone; he tried to solve disputes by the time they laid down together. It was nearly even who started the fights, but Arthur would almost always end them, either with an apology or a deal of some sort.

Tonight they would forgive and forget.

Erik leaned back on his pad. "You tell me something about yourself this time."

"I am my father's favorite son, his most traveled, and I am funny, smart, and a fantastic kisser." Kaoru's face was completely blank, confusing the younger immensely. What parts of that could be true and what could be lies would be too hard to tell.

But Erik was willing to play along. "And let's not forget your ego."

The foreigner shrugged, not caring too much about that. "I have to have something to myself, don't I? I'm the youngest of  _ten_." Erik's eyes widened slightly as he nodded. He didn't know anyone that had more siblings than three or four. "Is it just you and your older brother, or are there more?"

"No, it's just me and Nikolas." The Icelander laid back and propped his head up on his hands.

"Who are your parents? If they aren't Silovice and his passed wife?"

"The king and queen of the kingdom of Norway." Erik would miss his real mother. She was a very kind and quiet woman. She had taken care of Erik most of his stay; it was the first time before Nikolas that he felt loved. And now he had hurt her again. Both of her children were gone again. "I won't ever be going back. My father banished my brother because he fell in love with his knight."

The foreigner nodded a little, mulling it over. "How long ago was that?"

Erik actually had to think about that. He hadn't been keeping the best time since they left, only knowing running, and the days blurred a little. "A week or so, maybe? That's when we escaped."

"How long were you there?"

"A couple months."

Another question spilled from Kaoru's mouth before he could stop himself. "Before that?"

Erik usually hated talking so much with strangers, but something about the person next to him made him comfortable with telling him the whole story. "Finland. It was the first place I'd been to after escaping from the men who kidnapped me from Silovice."

Kaoru faced him again, no longer staring at the top of the tent. "You've had a really screwed up life. You know that?" Erik nodded with a sigh. He was very aware of how messed up everything was for him. "But I bet you have some tales to tell. What was your favorite place to be? For whatever reason."

Erik glanced over at him from the corner of his eyes. "You ask a lot of questions, you know that?"

The older boy grinned just a little, mischief sparkling in the caramel eyes. "Indeed I do. But you're gonna answer them because I'll poke you if you don't."

"Fine. Finland." Kaoru made a hand gesture, fluid and circular as if to say 'go on'. "Because it was like my first real home that I could remember. I liked the people there, and they respected me. It was a big change from living with Silovice, and it took time to get used to, but so far it's the only place I've been able to relax and do I what I want for a change. That was mostly after Silovice was killed, though."

The foreigner's mischievous twinkle disappeared, surprise in its place. "He's dead?"

"You...you didn't know that?" Kaoru shook his head, not minding the hair that fell into his eyes. "Mathias killed him when he attacked the castle."

"Why was he attacking the castle? He's always been on civil terms with the Finns."

"He was after my brother." Erik could sense the question before Kaoru asked it. "I don't know, but he wanted him killed. He almost succeeded, too, but I was able to stop him until Mathias arrived."

Kaoru had a bad habit of blurting out whatever was on his mind. Most of the time it was shrugged off as childish carelessness, but as he got older it got more telling of others than it did of him, making him a few unfriendly acquaintances. "I can't believe an adorable little guy like you managed to hold off the self-proclaimed King of the Frozen North."

Red splashed across the Icelander's cheeks. "I am  _not_  adorable!"

Kaoru rolled his eyes, not believing that for a second. "Yeah, you are! Heart-shaped face, pale hair, big violet eyes? You're gonna be a heartbreaker." Erik made a squeak of indignation, not liking the implication. "Meaning to, I doubt it, but unintentionally? All the time." Erik shook his head quickly; he didn't ever plan to break hearts, intentional or otherwise. "Sounds like Artie and Francis have stopped fighting for tonight."

Erik's blush started dying down, giving him some reprieve. "Do they always fight like that?"

"Usually it's worse. They fight all the time."

"Why are they traveling together if they only fight?" Erik couldn't think of a single reason.

Kaoru paused, thinking over his words, something Arthur had been trying to drill into his head. "Half of the time I have no clue, but the other half I know it's because, like many opposites, there's a fine line between love and hate. These two are have one foot on each side." The younger looked at him curiously as he shrugged nonchalantly. "But I could be wrong."

Something about the topic made Erik want to leave it alone, feeling like it was too personal for a stranger like himself to know about. "What is it like? Traveling and seeing the different kingdoms?"

"It's pretty wonderful. Every place has its own quirks, its own customs, and the languages are fun." Kaoru supposed that all the places Erik had been were relatively similar.

"Which is your favorite?"

The foreigner didn't even hesitate in his answer; he knew exactly what he missed. "Home. Back in China."

Erik looked at the ceiling, breaking the hold Kaoru had on him with his gaze. "Do you always travel with them?"

"Always Arthur, but not always Francis." Erik was tempted to look back at the other boy but resisted just enough. "Apparently they raised Arthur's twin boys together."

"Really?"

Kaoru nodded. "His wife died in childbirth, and Francis was his closest friend. That's why he's coming on this trip. They get to see their 'baby boy' get married."

Erik had had his suspicions, though he would have guessed that they were Francis's children; those blue eyes had been so close to a mixture of both twins' eyes. "So he's Matthew's and Alfred's father."

Kaoru let out a deep breath through his nose. "It's kinda funny. Francis got Matthew to call Arthur Mum. But Alfred learned more from Arthur, so he calls him Dad. But Francis is still Papa to both of them."

Erik gave in to temptation and looked at his tent-mate, who was, luckily, looking at the top of the tent like Erik just had been. "What is your family like?"

"Loud. They are very loud, very crazy, very odd people. My oldest brother likes to think that he's in control of all of us. My oldest sister likes to hit him for that. My father is, um- well, he's kind of... Insane. My mother, bless her heart, loves him and puts up with his antics while also keeping him in line."

"Your mother sounds like Nikolas in a way."

Kaoru didn't even look at him, knowing everything he needed to know just by tone. "What's he like?"

"He's smart and kind and unafraid to fight if he needs to. He's also serious about his role as a prince, even though he'd prefer if he wasn't one. He'd rather be free from royalty and live somewhere with the knight if he could."

They both yawned and pulled the covers over themselves, an unspoken agreement of sleep being put into place.

The first one to wake up in the morning was Kaoru. He, as he did every morning, stoked the fire and started the tea. He hadn't been one for it before Arthur was his tutor, and now it was his favorite drink.

Speaking of the tutor, he was the next to rise, trying to look as dignified as possible as he attempted to get out of the Frenchman's tent without Kaoru noticing. But the foreign boy knew better; he had heard it the moment that Arthur emerged. "Tea, Arthur?" He turned toward his tutor, a knowing look in his eyes and a smile playing the corners of his mouth.

The Englishman ignored it, though, having gotten it enough from his pupil over the years. Unfortunately, that didn't stop the reddening of his cheeks. "In a moment, if you wouldn't mind." He quickly went to his own tent, the one he never used, and dressed, smoothing out all wrinkles before coming out again. A cup was offered to him as he sat down next to the boy. "Thank you. Did you sleep well, Kaoru?"

"Definitely. That little guy is adorable. And yourself?"

Arthur took a sip of his drink, feeling better and certainly warmer. "Just fine. And don't tease our guest. He's young and might take your antics more seriously than you intend."

"I'm not teasing him!" Kaoru looked down at his own cup, muttering. "Sheesh! You're just like my mom."

The Englishman's eyebrow raised, a disapproving frown upon his face. "What was that?" He didn't like it when Kaoru muttered, and if he had heard that right, he didn't like being called 'Mom,' either.

Kaoru looked up at him, challenging him to disagree. "I said you're acting just like my mom."

Fortunately for the both of them, Arthur was still in a good mood. "I am not! I am just looking out for the well-being of Erik and yourself."

Kaoru's usual mask was cracked as he whined, annoyed at how much he sounded like a typical teenager. "I know, I know."

"Behave, Kaoru."

"I am!"

Francis came out of the tent, smiling brightly and stretching upwards. "Bonjour, mes cheres." The entrance of another person shut the both of them up. Francis started on breakfast almost immediately, knowing that all of the camp would be hungry. A kiss was pressed to the Englishman's cheek as the tallest of the group passed.

Arthur grumbled and pushed him away a bit, wiping at his cheek with his sleeve. "Would you quit doing that?"

"Non." Francis's smile stayed firmly on his face, waving good morning to the little Icelander that walked out of the tent he had stayed in the night before.

Erik waved back sleepily and nodded his thanks when he was handed a bowl of something unfamiliar but that smelled delicious. He was used to coffee, brewed strong to assuage his brother in the mornings. Tea, though nice, wasn't quite hitting it.

When the whole camp was more awake, Kaoru noticed something was off. "Erik? Where's that puffin of yours? I thought it followed us in last night."

Erik groaned, putting down his bowl and standing. "Not again."

"Where could he have run off to?"

"I don't know...the woods again?" Erik just hoped that Mr. Puffin hadn't gotten himself stuck in another trap.

Both boys headed to the edge of the clearing and walked into the brush. "Be careful not to get lost!" Francis didn't want to restrict them but did hope that they were as careful as possible.

The Englishman was a little more cautious, going to the spot where they entered. "And don't go too far!"

"Mr. Puffin?" Erik was grateful that Kaoru was helping him look but wasn't sure what to look for.

From a short ways away, a familiar voice laughed. "Dude! It's a puffin! I shall call you... Super Puffin!"


	20. Knight and Racer

"So Super Puffin, where do- Hey wait, Super Puffin! Come back!"

Erik shot into the trees; he'd know the annoying voice of the soldier anywhere. Kaoru quickly followed, not knowing if it was because Erik was worried for his puffin or because he knew the person. "Alfred!?"

"Wait- Erik? Lil dude, is that you?!" The sound of a horse got closer and closer as they ran toward it.

"I'm here!" Alfred came into view, stopping the foreigner in his tracks and pulling Erik back so neither would be smacked by the soldier's horse.

The blonde man dropped from his ride and pulled the little Icelander into a bone-crushing hug. "Dude! It  _is_  you!" Then he noticed the other boy standing there. "Hey... who's this kid?"

Erik wiggled his way out of the hug so he could breathe again. "Kaoru. I stayed with him, your father, and Francis last night."

Alfred stood up straight, surprised by the news; he could understand that his parents would come to the wedding of their own son, but he expected them to be there by at least a week ago. Maybe, he supposed, the kid with them had something to do with it. He knew that his dad was working for some eastern royal's kid, but last he had heard, the whole thing was over. That must have been the eastern royal's kid. "Show me the way!"

Erik nodded and let Kaoru lead the way, having lost track of where he was in the dash toward Alfred. This time he made sure to grab his bird, contemplating getting a leash for the ornery puffin.

As soon as the group reentered the clearing, Arthur and Francis were worrying over the boys. "How could you just go running off like that?" "What if something had happened?" "What were you thinking?!"

Alfred cleared his throat, seeing how fidgety the younger boys were getting. "Hey Dad, hey Papa."

"Mon petit!" Francis pulled his adoptive son into his arms, hugging him tight. "How have you been? Have you been eating well? Did you find anyone you like? How are you feeling? You need to visit more often, young man! Why haven't you been sending letters lately? Your father and I worry! You used to be so little! Ugh, what happened to the years?" The smaller man squirmed in the arms of his son as he was suddenly pulled into a tight hold.

"Oi Alfred-! Air!"

Al laughed and loosened his hold, watching his dad breathe exaggeratedly. "Missed you too, Dad. And to answer you, Papa, I've been great. Being a hero as always. Like now I'm supposed to be on a mission to rescue-" He dropped his arms and spun around to the Icelander. "You! Your brother is freaking out, and if I don't get you back, he'll kill me!"

"I-"

"Wait! I'll get him instead! Be right back, Dad! Papa!"

Arthur huffed and straightened his coat. "Alfred, you be careful, young man!" But he was already on his horse again, ready to ride off.

"Don't worry! I'll be back before you can miss me!"

Francis gave him a hard look as he turned toward the forest again. "You'd better be! I will not have you running off like last time!"

It took maybe ten minutes for Alfred to return with the whole party in tow. Nikolas slipped off his horse and yanked his little brother toward him, holding him tight. Erik's arms wrapped snuggly around the Norwegian. "Are you okay?" Nikolas's voice was soft, betraying how worried he had been. Erik could only nod into his chest, knowing he wouldn't be able to say anything without his voice cracking. "I'm so glad you're okay."

Mathias was right with his lover, checking the boy over as best he could with his vantage point. "Are you hurt anywhere?" And the Dane had been just as worried. It showed. Erik shook his head and felt bigger arms around him as well. "Thank goodness."

The Icelander could feel his eyes gathering water and hoped that no one could tell that he was near crying. Only Nikolas knew and just held him tighter.

On the other side of the camp, Alfred was reconnecting with his parents. "You must have gained a sense of direction over time. I was worried when you left." That was Arthur, the worrywart he was.

"It's just one of my heroic skills!"

His French father shook his head, chuckling softly. "Since when?"

The blonde soldier grinned wider, laughing. "Since a few minutes ago!"

The Englishman closed his eyes with a sigh, putting a hand on the young man's shoulder. "Some things will never change."

"Nope!"

Arthur took a deep breath, calming himself. "It will be good to see Matthew again." His other son had a full head on his shoulders at all times. Not just sometimes.

Francis seemed to realize something just at that moment, leaning dramatically on his companion. "My little baby's getting married!" He then hugged his Englishman.

"Oi! Frog. What do you think you are doing?"

"Getting overly emotional over my baby!"

Arthur sighed again, remembering why he was glad that the family didn't see each other  _too_  often. "I noticed. Now get off."

"Why aren't you?" This genuinely puzzled his French lover. Arthur was known to get a little emotional as well during these sorts of moments and later deny it ever happened.

"I know how to stay composed."

Alfred snorted loudly and started laughing. "Until you start bawling at the wedding."

Back to the other side of the campground. "What happened to you after you left? How did you end up here?"

Erik shrugged a little, feeling the warmth of both bodies seep away as both men looked him over carefully. "My horse got spooked and I fell off. Kaoru found me after that."

"Did they treat you okay?" Mathias was looking for injuries while Nikolas was still searching the boy's eyes. Erik nodded, surprised by the amount of concern considering the fight they had had right before he got lost. "He didn't do anything, right?" Mathias gestured a little at the foreigner, not liking the way his blank face was accompanied by such mischievous eyes.

Erik frowned deeply, the disapproval written all over his features. "No."

Nikolas started looking the other boy over with his calculating stare. Kaoru just met his gaze, never changing in his demeanor. He had practice with these sorts of people; they didn't get reactions. "You should introduce us."

The Icelander waved his new friend over warily, not liking the glint in his brother's indigo eyes. "Kaoru. This is my brother Nikolas and that knight Mathias."

Kaoru bowed to the both of them in turn, doing his own examination. "Pleasure to meet you."

Erik really didn't like how this was starting out to be and quickly spoke to break the tension so obviously bubbling at the surface. "He's a prince too."

Nikolas's eyebrow raised. "Really?"

Kaoru nodded once, standing straighter than the knight. "Sixth son and tenth child of the King of the eastern lands."

"And why are you here?"

"I'm representing my family at the Prussian wedding."

Mathias stuck out his hand. "Thanks for keeping him safe, Kaoru." The knight was never the best at hiding his emotions, and with the foreigner it was even harder.

Kaoru seemed to be able to tell and took the offered paw, shaking it firmly. "It was no trouble at all."

Nikolas put his own hand on his younger brother's shoulder, a conscious sign of protectiveness. "And hopefully there  _will_  be no trouble." Erik heard the double meaning in those words and glared up at his brother. What on earth was he thinking, acting like that?

But as always, in front of people like Nikolas, Kaoru was calm and composed. One day he would have to thank his tutor for that skill. "None that I can tell in the foreseeable future."

"Can we talk about something else?" Erik just wanted to leave and get to the wedding.

"Okay, I'm just gonna come out and say it. I can see that look in your eye, Kaoru, and I don't like it." He turned to his lover, hoping that Nikolas agreed with him. "He might hurt Erik!"

An indignant protest came from the foreigner. "Excuse me?"

Erik pulled away from his brother to stand at his friend's side. "What?! He will not! You're seeing things!"

Nikolas held up a hand to stop his brother from yelling. "Not this time."

Kaoru silently stared down the couple, definitely not going to dignify that with a response. The Icelander was, though. "I can't believe you!" He grabbed the foreigner's hand and led him away, over to the horses, glaring at the ground.

"Erik, get back here." Nikolas was ignored. But really, he didn't expect to be able to reason with the Icelander at that point.

The youngest of the group leaned up against the black mount he supposed was Kaoru's, as it nuzzled the foreigner's shoulder when they approached. "I'm sorry."

Kaoru softly stroked his horse's nose. "Don't worry about it. He was saying what he saw."

"He must be blind." He watched his friend with the horse, smiling a little at the sight of something so gentle from the boy. Someone who treated his horse kindly was a good person. Everyone knew that. "Do you think we'll be traveling together now?"

Kaoru nodded, glancing over and giving the other boy a small smile back, knowing no one else could see. He didn't really like to smile in front of others; it betrayed too much, and he slipped up enough as it was. "I doubt Arthur, let alone Francis, will leave Alfred. It'll be nice."

"Assuming Mathias and my brother stop acting like you're someone to be worried about."

The foreign boy grinned wolfishly, the joking obvious in his eyes. "What makes you think I'm not?"

Erik turned away, blushing a little into the horse's side. "I just know you're not."

When Arthur called Kaoru over to help pack camp, Erik stayed over by the horses, not wanting to go back to his brother and the knight just yet. He was still upset. The Icelander watched as the two men of arms came over to his friend and glared. Both of them were just lucky that Erik didn't know what they said.

"So you've taken an interest in the little dude."

"And if I have?"

Alfred put a hand on the kid's shoulder. He didn't have any bad feelings about the boy, but Mat did, and for right now that was enough. "Then we are going to have a talk about the consequences if you do anything to upset, hurt, threaten, insult, make fun of, make him uncomfortable. You get the idea, right?"

Kaoru crossed his arms over his chest. "I understand what you are referring to."

"I mean, I can't exactly speak for Nik, but I know you don't want to upset him."

Kaoru didn't seem to take the soldier seriously, and Mathias jumped in. "Listen, I know what your intentions are, and I'm telling you now, he's  _twelve_. You _will_. Keep. Your. Grimy. Paws.  _Off_. Him."

"I know exactly how old he is." The foreigner's eyes met with the Dane's, not faltering. "I won't do anything to him. He's still young, yes, but not a child."

"And you will continue to do nothing to him until he is of age." Kaoru nodded once, showing he was listening and nothing else. " _If_  he's okay with it then."

Kaoru sighed irritatedly. "Yeah, yeah, yeah." Without his control, his caramel eyes rolled. God, he hated being a teenager sometimes.

"So you understand your position then? No funny business?" Kaoru gave him a look, just wanting to be done with the talk. "Remember, keep your hands to yourself or lose them. I'll be watching you, Kaoru. Don't you dare touch him."

"Got it." Kaoru pushed past the men, walking back to his friend, trying to compose himself again.

"It looks like you're okay." Kaoru nodded, hoping that he had stopped glaring. "They should mind their own business."

A deep breath helped. "Truthfully, I prefer the brutes to the calculated look your brother was giving me. He's got brains, and that is far more terrifying than a couple of bumbling swordsmen. Even if one is a knight." Erik nodded sympathetically. "Since your horse ran off, would you care to ride with me today?"

Erik smiled a little. "Yeah. Sure."

Kaoru smiled back a bit. "No doubt your guard dogs will disapprove."

"That's their problem."

Francis made a call to the rest of the party as they spoke, letting them know that it was time to get going. Kaoru nodded and hopped up onto his horse, offering his friend a hand. Erik took it gratefully, pulling up onto the saddle and feeling Kaoru's arms go around him as the other grabbed a hold of his reins.

Nikolas walked his own pale mare over calmly to the pair. "Erik, get down. You're going to ride with me."

"No."

Erik didn't even look at his brother. The moment of happiness at finding him again had completely disappeared.

The rest of the party, on their mounts, joined them, Francis in the lead. "Do not worry, Arthur raised him as a gentleman. Besides, the horse will be able to last longer with two small ones."

Nikolas took a breath, ready to drag his brother off the black horse, but was interrupted by an English voice coming from beside the Frenchman. "Anyway, shall we go?"

Mathias reached over and put his hand on the Norwegian's shoulder, calming him. "You guys know where we're going?"

Alfred sat up straighter, shouting out his answer as they began their journey as a large group. "To the Whatchamacallit!"

Mat turned, frowning. "Skaggerak!"

"Right! That!"

It was a long ways into the ride that Erik was pleasantly relaxed against his friend, the adults talking about the future. Mathias and Nikolas were sharing their plans of where they planned to settle, Feliks was chattering with Francis about how he planned to get to his lover in Russia. Alfred was pretty much sharing epic stories to the whole group, being ignored by practically everyone.

Erik looked up a little, seeing the thinking face on his friend's. "What are you thinking?"

"Just wondering how often I'd be allowed to see you."

A light redness came over the Icelander's cheeks. "They don't get to decide that... you're  _my_  friend."

The foreigner chuckled softly, glad he was hearing that. "True. But there is also traveling to think about." Erik blushed deeper when he realized that his statement had been silly. A small grin came upon Kaoru's lips as he put a hand on the other boy's cheek. "Red's a good color for you."

Erik swatted at the hand, embarrassed. "It is not."

"Is so."

"Be quiet."

"Make me."

Erik paused only a moment before turning in his seat and covering his friend's mouth with a hand. "There." The other boy chuckled softly then nodded, saying he would drop it.

The Icelander let go, satisfied, and turned back around. "The road will soon be bumpier. Be careful not to fall."

Erik nodded again, and a thought came into his head. "What are you doing after this?"

"Going home. That's what I always do after a big trip." That really didn't give them much time. "Think maybe your guard dogs will let you come with me? I think you might like the east. Of course, they'd be welcome as well, and you'd be free to go home at any time. But if you wanted to…" He trailed off, leaving the question hanging in the air.

The Icelander's eyes lit up with curiosity. "I don't think they'd let me go alone, but it might be interesting to see. I was mostly confined to the castle for several years, so I haven't really seen much."

Kaoru smiled just a little, seeing the familiar spark of interest in the other boy's face. "The east is nothing like this place. The north is cold with bushy trees and mostly greens and blues. Back home, the colors are extensive, its warm, sunny, huge rain forests and a vast array of wildlife. It's beautiful." He paused, looking around them. "Not to say that this place doesn't have a certain charm."

The shore of the Skaggerak was hazy on the horizon, but it was there. Alfred had finally gotten quiet when he realized what he was seeing. "Finally!" And in a blink, an idea was put into the soldier's head, knowing that it would make everybody happier if he did it. "Hey Kaoru! Race me! The prize will be Erik!"

A squeak came from Kaoru's companion. "What?!"

The Norwegian was glaring at Alfred with a kind of evil only heard of in storybooks. "Alfred, change the prize. Now."

Kaoru smirked softly and nodded at the large blonde man. "I'll race if you will."

"You're on!"

Erik's eyes widened. "But-!"

"Go!"

With a whip of the reins, both contestants were flying. What Alfred didn't know was that Kaoru was quite the horse lover. And his horses were bred for racing, the kind that could end in death if they lost. All in all, it really was a dumb idea of Alfred's to just skim the letters he had been sent by his father. Arthur had, in fact, addressed this fact a few times.

Hitting the sand, arm wrapped around the Icelander, Kaoru couldn't help but grin at the man who was still a few feet behind.

"I call a rematch!"

"Certainly not. I won fair and square."

The others came riding in behind them, Nikolas looking to kill the soldier for his deal. "Did not! You cheated somehow!" He finally caught a glance of the Norwegian and yelped. In a very manly way. "Eep!"

"The 'prize' is not valid."

"Dude! Why would you bet a person?"

"Because I was sure I'd win! Then there wouldn't be a problem anymore, right?"

The youngest watched as the older men argued it out, eventually deciding to send Mathias, Arthur, Feliks, and Erik to haggle for passage. Erik couldn't help but wonder why the idea of him no longer being the prize was disappointing.


	21. Knight and Captain

Long arms flew out in either direction, the Dane laughing and smiling. "Welcome to The Little Mermaid!" Mathias was excited, more excited than he had been in weeks. He got to go home. Well, maybe not home, but to his homelands. Even thinking about it was making him more and more happy. He had missed the flatness of Denmark, sure the mountains were great but Mathias needed the sea, the open air, the space, the feeling of being at every edge of the earth and being able to run for miles and never stop seeing where he had been just minutes before.

However, in those lands ghosts reined. Ghosts and the ruins of the past would haunt Mathias for every step he took through the grasses and trees. Loud spirits would beg at him around every corner. Suddenly the idea of going home wasn't so appealing but Mat would deal with it.

The Englishman took one look around and smiled, he had also spent some time at sea, before his boys had been born of course, traveling with the young prince hadn't given him much opportunity to sail, traveling mostly by horse or by caravan. Unfortunately, his first stop was not the railing, breathing in the salty air, it was a wakeup, and he needed to get some tea before he passed out.

Francis could see this easily, having been with the Englishman for so long. "Come along mon amour, let's get you something hot." An arm wrapped around the smaller man's waist and led him to the galley. "Nikolas would you care for some tea as well?"

The Norwegian just followed, he had always loved water and the sea but the rocking of ships always got to him for the first few hours of any journey, he hoped that the hot drink would settle his stomach.

The Pol was quickly dragged off by the blonde soldier, showing him all of the parts of the ship, excited to share what his father taught him with someone else. Sure he messed up some of the names but crew walking by would easily and with a chuckle correct him.

Mathias was directed away by a cheery man who must have been the captain of the ship, leaving the two youngest of the party alone together.

"Finally." Erik breathed out, happy to be alone with his friend for the first time in near a day. Nikolas had made sure that Erik and Kaoru were never alone together, never able to talk freely. "Let's go somewhere that's not the edge of the ship." He didn't want to admit it and seem weak in front of the foreigner but he was slightly terrified of being on a ship once again.

"Have you been on a boat before?"

Erik nodded. "Twice." He paused, not liking his memories. "But both times I was being kidnapped."

There was more to it and Kaoru knew that well. He could tell there was something else that Erik was keeping held in. "You can continue if you want. I'll listen."

Erik mumbled something under his breath, with a nudge in the side from his friend his voice became louder. "I never learned how to swim."

Kaoru shrugged it off. "Nor have I." The little Icelander shook his head with disbelief but the foreign boy nodded. "Really. Arthur said he might teach me when we go back east. When it's warmer of course. Maybe Nikolas or Mathias can teach you."

"Have you been on a lot of boats?" Kaoru nodded. "And you're not afraid of falling off?"

The other boy's hair shook with the rest of his head, nearly falling into his eyes. "Are you?"

Erik bobbed his head in assent and quickly changed the subject. "What do you do when you're not traveling?"

"I learn, I explore places, I write letters home. Find interesting objects or people. What do you?"

"I like reading and playing viola and usually I like being with Nikolas, but now I like being with you too."

"I also like that last one."

A soft blush came across pale cheeks and Erik quickly spoke again. "Do you have a lot of friends at home?"

"Not really. Unless you count my siblings." And Kaoru didn't count them. He only really got along with three or four of them on a good day. None of them on a bad day. Though it wasn't really like they knew each other very well anymore. Kaoru had been traveling since he was ten years old and was never home longer than a couple months. The only ones that he was truly close to anymore were Arthur and by some work of magic, Erik. As foolish as it was to get involved with someone.

"Because you travel so much?"

"That and as an ambassador to my kingdom, I don't really get to meet people my own age."

Both boys were silent a while, watching men pass by, the hustle and bustle of keeping the ship moving in the right direction at a steady pace. It was amazing just how quickly time passed while watching the men.

Mathias came up behind them and put a hand on both of their shoulders. "Hey guys. How're you doing with the rocking of the ship?" Erik gave him a soft reply in the positive, Kaoru shrugging. "Do you like ships?" This time the reply was mostly negative from the Icelander, head shaking, a murmur of 'no'. "Really? I love them. Makes me think back to my grandfather's old stories about the Vikings."

Kaoru looked up at him curiously but the words came from the other boy. "Like what?"

Mathias grinned at the two. "I'll tell you at dinner tonight." He had to prepare after all and the twin frowns he got from the boys made him laugh.

The Polish man's voice called from the center of the ship, "Mathias! Erik! Kaoru! Dinner!" Well looks like Mathias would be telling that story sooner than he thought.

When they arrived their own party was the only group within the galley, learning that as the night went on men would cycle through according to when they could get the time. And they did, coming through and snagging food, sitting in to listen to the Dane's stories, he told one of a young man, who he claimed was his own great grandfather, fighting the dragons, of their hordes of treasure and the way he helped his people.

After the second story Mathias ate his own meal and the others started conversation. "When does the captain say we'll be in Denmark?"

Through a mouthful, and with a chastising look from Nikolas, Mat gave the answer. "Tomorrow around midday."

"Did you figure out sleeping arrangements?"

Mathias nodded again, swallowing before speaking again to avoid the look from his lover. "Yup, all worked out. We're gonna be in the cabins."

The eldest prince was suspicious. "You must have done something special to arrange that."

The knight shrugged. "Not really. I mean, I offered my services, and we chatted a little bit, I told him about the stories my grandfather used to tell me when I was little. The ones about the Vikings. Then when he saw our party, he insisted we take the officer's quarters." But something he knew wasn't showing enough for any of them but his own lover to catch the certain air that Mat gave off.

Erik frowned, muttering to his friend. "So much for needing time to prepare."

Mathias chuckled at the boys. "Oh c'mon, he got one of the run of the mill stories. I wanted to share one of my favorites with you guys." Erik gave him a look as if to say 'which is?'. "The syren of course."

Alfred grinned at them from across the table. "Does it have an epic battle or hero in it?"

"In fact it does! Both of them." He looked around the table with a smile upon his face, getting back into his storyteller mode. "Long ago, during the time of my great, great, grandfathers, the rumors of a fantastic treasure horde reached the people of a small village in northern Denmark. It was said to have been the most extensive amount of gold and jewels ever recorded.

"People told of its greatness but the one thing that spurred the rumors on was the creatures guarding the horde. They were told of a dragon, longer than five ships put together and taller than the tallest tower with poison breath and scales as hard as diamonds, trolls as large as mountains who could appear out of nowhere, demons, animals ten times the size they should be and a thousand times more deadly. But there was one creature that all feared. Especially the Vikings. There were three of the witches of the sea, as there often is, they were called, Syrens.

"A Syren was a water creature, they looked much like mermaids, but only while they sing, when they are silent, instead of the beautiful women they were perceived as, their heads were that of carcass birds, the three were withered, hag-like, deadly and the worst monster. They would sing of the deep and their voices sung the most beautifully haunting songs and you were lead to the water where they would drown you and eat your body.

"In the village there was a young man, strong, proud, kindhearted, stubborn as a rock, his name was Leve. Leve was very determined to become a Viking, like his father and his father's father. But he was not as strong as his predecessors, he was not as tall, he wasn't as handsome, but he was a brilliant leader with a dedicated crew at his side and without a day's deliberation over his decision, the entire crew was packing and preparing the ship. Leve was reexamining his ship, it was sturdy and undamaged but it was also old and it might not make it through the harsh weather and the amount of abuse the monsters would undoubtedly cause. Unfortunately for him, it was a tiny village and he had nothing to reinforce it with. So, with high hopes, the crew set off on what would be the longest and most frightening journey of their lives."

Mathais wove a long tale of the adventure, telling of the man's bravery, how he and his crew saved another ship from the grasp of the Syrens, how they were able to get the wealth of the trove and bring it home to their village, giving most of it away to those who needed it, as allies, before they ever made it home.

Alfred's jaw finally went back up to close his mouth, which had been gaping for a while now, totally engrossed in the story. "That was awesome Mat. I can't tell if you're a better storyteller or a knight."

Arthur chuckled from his spot across from the table. "He could very well be excellent at both."

Francis ruffled his son's hair. "Or one masquerading as the other."

The foreign boy frowned though, seeming the only one unpleased by the end. "If he gained all that wealth and he was so determined to be such a powerful person, why did he share the treasure?"

Erik looked at him curiously. "Why? Would you keep it?" He didn't think that his friend was overly selfish.

"Maybe. If I were him, with the way he acted, it seems like he would keep it."

Erik shook his head, making sure that Kaoru was meeting his eyes before he spoke again. "Mathias doesn't tell stories like that." Kaoru's frown got deeper with that. "It's not him. He wouldn't agree with someone keeping all the treasure to themselves."

A man walked in, a grin on his face, large black boots thundering with each step. "Ah Danny, you always keep the best ones for special people don't you?" Mathias just laughed and offered the man a place next to him but it was waved off.

The youngest prince nearly jumped with the voice, not liking the look of the man, and not sure what to think of Mathias being called Danny. Why on earth would he be addressed like that? "How long have you been standing there?"

The man chuckled, the movement flowing through his whole body. "The entire story time."

The knight looked confused that no one else had noticed his presence, bringing another laugh from the large man, his long scraggly beard barely hiding his grin. "You can't expect them to recognize the presence of someone they don't really know Danny."

Erik shook his head and got up, not trusting the man and wanting away from him as soon as possible, as soon as he had taken three steps, his friend was up and after him, following him onto the deck and leading him to a quiet place they could talk.

All those in the room watched them in surprise; the most confused being the captain of the ship. "Did I say something?"

"I don't think he knows I've known you for forever and a day." Mat knew that Erik had trust issues but walking out was a little much for him.

Nikolas gave his lover a look. "Nor did I." Apparently  _that_  was what he had been hiding earlier, though there seemed no reason to do so.

Alfred pushed his bowl aside. "Wait really? Since when?"

"He used to be one of my dad's best friends. He was around all the time when I was little." Which was odd to the most of the party, who had known Mathias to grow up in Finland, but he also claimed to be from Denmark as a home, in fact it seemed like there were a few things that started not quite adding up about the knight.

The captain nodded, smiling. "Bless that man's soul."

Something was very off. Nikolas very suddenly realized that he had told his lover about his past, they had shared so much, they planned to be married, and he didn't even know Mathias's father's name. In fact, Mat never talked about his past. He only spoke of when he was little in the context of others he had known at the time. What exactly was Mathias? Where was he from? Who was he?

The Englishman was the first to speak, confused by the wording. "What do you mean?"

The captain took a drink from a seemingly random mug on a nearby table. "Surely Danny must have told you of his fath-"

BANG!

All in the room turned to look at the knight, normally jovial expression darkened in a glare, eyes hard and grip on his own mug close to the breaking point. "Don't you say another word."


	22. Knight and Lord

Alfred jumped at the sudden loud noise. "Woah dude! Calm down!"

Nikolas narrowed his eyes at his lover, wanting to know exactly what was going on, he expected the Dane to face him again, expecting him to turn, looking apologetic but that hard gleam in his eyes was completely solid. Mathias stood and walked out of the room, muttering something about helping the men row.

The captain looked embarrassed to say the least, rubbing the back of his head with a sigh. "Guess I should have assumed he hadn't." Nikolas went right after the man, not bothering to call out, he knew that Mat knew he was following.

Arthur nodded at the man, sensing his good intent. "That would have been wise, but unfortunately it is too late for that now."

"I guess I should introduce myself; I'm the captain of this ship, Halvard Gunnersen." He looked around the room. "I think I can tell which of you is which, Danny told me a lot about you."

Francis raised a manicured eyebrow at the captain, wanting to ask earlier but now curious enough to actually ask. "Why do you call him Danny?"

"I had a friend on this ship a long time ago named Mathis. We call him by his middle name, it's still his name isn't it? Lord Mathias Daniel Kohler?"

Alfred was the first blurt out what they were all thinking. "Since when is Mat a Lord?" Even Arthur and Francis, who had watched the Dane grow up into a knight hadn't known this. Mathias was a surprisingly private person. Berwald even more so.

The captain looked just past annoyed with himself, giving away another thing that the boy hadn't said himself. "I probably shouldn't have said anything huh?"

Outside Mathias had found a place by the railing that he hoped he would be left alone by. Many of the crew seemed to notice and avoid the Dane as he walked by. Nikolas was not so deterred to let the man be alone. "Are you going to explain what just happened?"

Mathias sighed silently, fists still clenched around the wooden barrier. "What is there to explain?"

"What the captain was about to say and why you cut him off."

A deep breath of the salty sea air and the words that came from Mathias's mouth were spat back out. "He was going to say that surely I had told you about my family, that  _surely_  I had told you that it's just Ber and me, that I had  _surely_ told all of you that our parents are dead." His tone was sarcastically bitter, only faltering on the last word.

"Why didn't you say anything before?" Nikolas put his hand upon the larger one, hoping to coax it from its angry hold.

Mathias turned his head away, not wanting to see what he knew would be waiting there in the Norwegian's eyes. "Because I see it in your eyes! I can't stand that! I'm supposed to be this strong, unmovable force!"

"No. You're allowed to be human just like I am." Nikolas's other hand came to rest upon the other's cheek, directing him to look back into the indigo gaze. "I can understand the restraints of a role, but you taught me to live outside of them and now it's your turn." Mathias remained silent, refusing to catch the man's eyes. Nikolas sighed softly, not wanting to push too hard too soon. "I am surprised you didn't tell me though. I can understand why, but I thought that this was something you could have trusted me with all the same. I don't care if you're not as strong as you think you need to be all of the time."

The Dane's voice came out in a whisper. "I can't  _not_  be strong all the time. That's why I never told you. Not because of the weakness you saw in me, but because of the pity I'd see."

"I only pity you because you don't deserve it. That does not mean that I see you as weak in any way. So you have a past that isn't perfect. Nor is mine. That does not make us weak, but makes us who we are." He received a small nod from the man in recognition of his words. "None of us is perfect Mathias. If you were only strength, I don't know if I would have fallen in love with you." Nikolas paused before continuing. "I will never see you as weak though. Not with how you are now."

Mathias finally locked his own gaze upon the Norwegian's, confusion bubbling below the surface. "What do you mean?"

"I mean that I know you can't and won't do anything that would make you weak in my eyes. I know you won't betray us for money or give up just because there might be something in it for you. I know you won't run away and I know you will fight for what you believe is right rather than bowing to another's opinion." Mathias smiled a tad, gaining some of his usual confidence again. Nikolas leaned over and kissed the man's cheek. "Better?"

Large arms wrapped around the smaller of the two men and held him close. "Yeah. Thanks."

"Good. You're not meant to be unhappy." Mathias's grip tightened on him. "I love you."

"I love you too. With all of my heart." Their foreheads touched gently, making the Norwegian's own lips come up in a small smile. "And I love it when you smile."

Nikolas poked the man in the chest, rolling his eyes. "Good to know you're still a sap." Mathias grinned his signature grin, reassuring the Norwegian that all was right with the world. "And there's your real smile."

"You always make me smile."

"I prefer you smiling." Nikolas leaned up and pressed his lips to the Dane's own pair. "You are my brave knight. Don't forget that." He paused, glad the darkness of night hid most of the blush on his cheeks. "And know I'm never going to say that again." Mathias laughed at him, his whole body shaking with it. "This what you not acting annoying and cheerful does to me."

"Makes you sappy?"

"Yes and it's not okay." Mathias could only laugh more.

After spending some more time together, silently enjoying one another's company, they decided it would be best to go back in. But by the time they returned only two of their party remained. "Has my brother come back yet?"

The Englishman shook his head, smiling softly over the tea he had in his hands. "No, but I am sure he is quite alright."

"I assume the others went to bed?"

Feliks stood, stretching his arms up high over his head, yawning. "Well Al said something about being a hero in his dreams so I think so. I'm just about to head off myself."

"Goodnight then."

Arthur looked at the couple in front of him as they watched the Pol leave the warmth of the galley. "I'm going to call it a night as well." He stood slowly, put his cup in the dishes pile and walked out, joining his partner in their cabin for the night.

The prince leaned on his lover, "Should we be heading to sleep too?" Mathias asked, fighting back a yawn.

"Yes, but I want to find Erik first."

"Let's check on deck."

It was fairly easy to find the two young boys, the two leaning against one another, fast asleep with the gentle rocking of the ship. The foreigner woke a little, glanced sleepily at the pair watching them and with an angry mutter in a language neither understood, was back asleep.

Mathias chuckled softly and picked up the little Icelander, putting him in his brother's arms and then lifting the Asian boy in his own hold, leading the way to the cabin where the two would be able to sleep a little more comfortably.

In the morning light, as the passengers were awakening and stumbling their way back into the galley for some breakfast, or at least something hot, the complaints of the blond Polish man wormed their way from the depths. "Francis. _English_. It's the one language we all understand."

"Don't worry about it. The frog just likes to talk to himself."

"I do not!"

"What was that? You really need to stop entertaining yourself with your voice."

Mathias and Nikolas silently walked in, stumbling a little at a lurch in the ship. "Ass. I assume you know what  _that_  means."

The Frenchman and his English counterpart were glaring at one another. "Of course I do you bloody frog!"

"I  _know_  that you know French! You cannot deny it!"

"Correct, but I do not have to acknowledge it! What I want to know is how you constantly forget there are others in attendance who cannot understand a word."

"LAND HO!" All in the galley looked up and rushed to see the approach of the Danish coastline. Many of them having never been there before.

Mathias was buzzing about like a honeybee, helping wherever he could and bouncing almost out of his boots to get off the ship.

Arthur smiled at his son, "I wish you could be that excited to come home to us Alfred. You and your brother."

"Sorry dad. Gotta go rescue a damsel with Feliks. Then maybe I'll come visit."

Francis wrapped an arm around the soldier's shoulders. "I do not want a letter home, telling us that you have lost a leg."

"I know, I know."

There was a solid thud as the ship bumped against the dock. Planks were set and the first one down was the Dane, he ran off the ship, off the edge of the dock and flopped onto the sand with a muffled yell of "I'm home!"

Nik just shook his head as he helped lead the horses off the ship. "Idiot."

After a few minutes the Dane finally came to help the others load their stuff off the ship and onto the horses. "So how far away is the Prussian castle?" That was the foreigner.

"If everything goes well, we should get there within a few days."

Francis was almost as excited as Mathias to be there. "I can't wait to have our little family back together! I miss my littlest baby! I bet he's even more adorable than the last time we saw him! Alfred how long has it been since you saw him?"

Alfred scratched the top of his head, "Nearly a year now." That was when the now fiancé had been introduced to him and his little brother had done his best to keep the two from slitting each other's throats or starting a war in Mattie's forest home.

"Please tell me you've at least kept in contact with your brother." The Englishman was ready with a lecture if the answer was no.

"Of course I have!"

At dusk, after riding and exchanging quips all day long, they set their camp up happy to be at rest. While most were distracted, starting a fire or gathering wood, Mathias kissed his lover's cheek and walked away. Nikolas understood this to be a signal that it was time for him to be alone but that did not stop him from following, keeping out of sight behind the trees of the forest.

"Where are you going?" Nikolas whispered to himself.

The signs of an old castle came into view through the plants, but as the Dane made his way through the remains of a torn down, over grown ruins it seemed as if he knew every turn. It was odd to see such destruction.

Mathias fell to his knees in front of two unassuming gravestones. His head was down, he was scared.


	23. Knight and Ghosts

"Hey mama" He paused, taking a shuddering breath. "Hey dad... I know it's silly to talk to you... But it might reach you up there- I miss you guys. A lot. It's been a while since I've been here- I just- I wanted you to know. I wanted you to know that I- I've made something of myself... I'm a full blown knight, a hero, a  _war hero_. I've done a lot I'm not so proud of though... I lied, I cheated, and I killed a king."

His voice broke slightly, head hanging in shame. "I wish you two were here... There's someone I would have loved for you to meet. There's this guy... Nikolas. He's a prince. Of Norway no less. And I love him. With all of my heart. The craziest thing is that he loves me too... You would have liked him. He's sweet, funny, he's kind of shy though, hides behind this mask of indifference- But I see past that. He's so much more. Ber is doing okay too; he's courting this Finnish royal. Sweet guy by my opinion. I know he never comes here. He says that he could never return. But he misses you too. Sometimes I think more than I do. He's a knight too. We did what we said we would, we became protectors, heroes... I really wish I knew if you were proud. That's all we wanted to do. Make you proud."

Mathias swallowed past the lump in his throat; a single drop of rain fell from his eyes, dragging down his cheek slowly. "But none of these things really matter I guess. We're happy. All of us. And that's all that matters really. Right?" He felt like nothing he could say would be good enough, babbling was all he had.

A soft whisper of his name made him spring up, turning around to examine the area. "Hello? Is someone there?"

Nikolas backed up into the wall again, not wanting to be seen. Mathias was going to search but a little white rabbit hopped out of the bush next to him. "Hey there little guy." He kneeled back down. "You here to keep me company?" He tentatively stroked the bunny that stayed where he was. His eyes strayed back to the headstones and sighed softly.

Nikolas took a deep, silent breath and walked out of his hiding place. "You should be proud of your son."

The Dane looked back to him. "Nik?" Nikolas came completely into view. "How long have you been there?"

"Long enough."

Mathias nodded a little. "So did you hear all that?"

Nikolas just kneeled down next to him, facing the carved rock. ' _Lord and Lady Kohler'_ "I would have liked to meet them too."

"I think they really would have loved you." His voice was shaking still, trying to hide his feelings.

"What were they like?"

Mathias smiled sadly. "Kind. They were the nicest people I've ever known."

"And who were they?"

"Lord Christiansen and Lady Elise Kohler. The fifth tenants of this castle."

"You are Lord Mathias Kohler then."

"Yeah, I am." He wasn't one for titles. Sir Kohler got him enough respect as it was. Wolf of the North got him even more. 'Lord' made him seem like he sat in a castle all day, occasionally fighting a bandit.

Nikolas was silent a moment. "I've heard of your parents but only in passing."

"Oh? What did you hear about them?"

"Very little. Only that they were Lord and Lady of this area and had two sons like my parents." He had heard that they had been killed. But not much more.

Mathias nodded. "When the castle was demolished, the neighboring Fief took control of the area." Nikolas frowned. "But if Ber or I rebuild, we have the right to take it back."

"And why haven't you?"

He paused, not knowing completely why. "We promised we'd prove ourselves worthy first. I thought Ber was well on his way to rebuilding. Then he met Tino. And after I got my own titles, I had a personal goal to protect a royal family member. And then I met you, and it didn't seem to matter as much." Then he realized how much it would hurt to come back. Though he would never say so out loud.

"Would you want to take it back eventually?" Nikolas looked around the area, it was ruined. Everything was covered in mosses and greens, the only clear spot was the graves, someone kept them clear and fresh flowers were resting in front of the engraved rocks.

Well that was a tough one. Yes, he wanted to honor his family's line, and keep his parents' memory alive. But could he really stand to live in this place that reminded him of their death? "Not on this spot. But yes. One day, if it's possible." He started thinking of all of the places around the area. "There's a little lake just west of here. Maybe it could be built there."

"That would work for our home." They both knew that anywhere with water would please the Norwegian immensely.

"Would you want to be here though?" This was Denmark after all. There were no mountains; there were flat, rolling plains and hills. Lots of water yes, but not very similar to Norway.

Nik nodded a little. "From what I've seen, I like it." He was silent as they both entered their own thoughts. "I'm sure they'd be proud Mathias."

"Would they? Why? I've killed so many, hurt so many people…" He trailed off sadly. He had done many bad things. Things, that if he could help, Nikolas would never know of.

The prince's hand reached over and took Mathias's, weaving their fingers together. "But you've done what you've had for a reason and you've more than made up for your actions. Don't doubt yourself Mathias." Mat looked up at the Norwegian slowly, his eyes, that were usually smiling now filled with sorrow. "You focus too much on the things you wish you could change and not enough on the good things you have done. I don't know all of your past actions, but think about what you have done recently. You saved my life and my brother's, you risked yourself to free him from the castle, you have protected us and others, you have been loyal and trustworthy and most importantly...you chose to love me."

The Dane pulled him close, hugging him tight, his face hidden, staying completely silent. Nikolas was surprised a moment but wrapped his arms around the strangely vulnerable Mathias. "Thank you." It was soft as a whisper but meant so much more than anything Nikolas could imagine.

The bunny nuzzled the two of them curiously. Nik looked down and petted the rabbit softly with a small smile.

Mathias pulled away for a second to smile at the scene. "He's so cute."

"We need a pet rabbit."

"This one seems pretty friendly."

Nikolas seemed to think a moment. "We still have to travel though." But he still wanted to take it along.

The Dane shrugged. "I can make a cage it can be carried in." Nik glanced to him inquiringly. "What should his name be?"

The Norwegian already had an idea. "Could I name him after your father?"

Mathias hesitated. "Do you want to?"

"Not his whole first name, but only if you are comfortable with it." Mat nodded once. "Christian then." Nikolas picked the white bunny up and held it in his lap. "Your father must have been a strong man."

Mathias could only agree. "He really was. The strongest man I've ever met."

"Mathias- I have one more question. What exactly happened?"

The knight stopped short, smile falling. "To this place? Or to them?"

"Both."

He ran a hand through his gravity defying hair. "It isn't pretty." Nikolas nodded, seeing the wreckage of this place kind of already hinted at that. "Well, it was the day after Ber's fourteenth birthday. We were cleaning up the huge mess we made and as crazy as it sounds, he was smiling. This was back when he still smiled. But anyways, while we were clearing away all of the stuff we started hearing the sounds of fighting. My dad went outside, thinking it was a few of the soldiers having fun and he left to go watch... But he didn't even make it to the courtyard. They cut him down before he could... You see a long while ago, there was this group, rallying to take over the crown... And to do that, they were killing all of the lords loyal to the king.

"But we didn't know that... No one was able to tell us. We saw them stab our father just as he reached the doorway. Our mom grabbed us and pushed us up the stairs... I wouldn't leave her... I didn't want to... But I couldn't move at all. Berwald grabbed me and dragged me away. He told me later that I was screaming... Because he slung me over his shoulder, I saw something I wish I could forget and that I'm glad Ber didn't have to see. She smiled at me, as if it was all going to be okay. She smiled and they tore her apart. I didn't know what to do though to help her. When they were done with our people, they tore this castle down brick by brick.

"Ber and I found a caravan heading north and, as they had stayed with us before, they knew our parents and took us to the castle in Norway. At the time, your kingdom was fighting the Swedish, your father decided that even as friends of your kingdom, we were not to stay with you, else we bring bad fortune. Tino's parents, King Liekko, and Queen Kaisa, they were good friends with our parents and urged us to stay with them for as long as we needed to. So Ber did the best he could and raised me."

Nikolas didn't know what to say. What could he possibly say to help Mathias feel better? It wasn't a question of revenge, obviously the people responsible had been taken care of, if not by the Dane himself when he was old enough. He couldn't relate; both of his parents were alive and well. He didn't know them so he couldn't for sure say anything as to their character. "We should get back." If anything, he could get Mathias out of his head for a little while. Take him away from the ghosts that haunted him for thirteen years. Nikolas stood up and offered his hand to his mourning lover.

Mathias took it and slowly got up from his kneeling position. His eyes stayed locked on the headstones. "Bye guys... I'll be back... I don't know when though... I love you." His voice, even at such a soft level, seemed to echo throughout the ruins of his former home.

He squeezed the Norwegian's hand gently and followed him back to the horses, which were grazing happily on the overgrown ruins. Mathias helped Nik onto his horse then slung himself upon his own. Riding in silence, they both had time to process what they had just been through. It was not a pretty thing to discover that your lover has ghosts following him. Nor is it pleasant to share determinedly  _unpleasant_  things with your lover.

***Awesome Transition***

Alfred spotted the castle in the distance. "Finally!"

The Englishman sighed. "Remember to mind your manners while you are here Alfred. Hopefully I shouldn't have to remind you of that Prince Kaoru."

"You don't."

Mathias frowned from the side. "Aw darn. I can't hold Christian anymore  _and_  I have to put on my fancy gear."

Nikolas shrugged. "He's my bunny anyways and don't complain."

Francis was beyond happy though. "Arthur! Our little family! It's nearly together again!"

"I'm glad we get to see him again now."

Mathias stopped their party and started pulling on his armor, grumbling unhappily. His fancy stuff was less used, not meant for battle and itchy.

Alfred's excitement would not be contained. "I call seeing Mattie first!"

"Nous allons rendre le visite ensemble."

The Pol pouted. "Francis! " He whined. "You, like, totally know most of us don't know what you're saying!"

Fortunately, growing up around Francis helped Alfred's understanding of the language. "Don't I get some sort of brother privilege?"

Erik glanced at Feliks. "You sound like a child."

"You like,  _are_  a child."

"Shouldn't we get some kind of  _parent_  privilege?" Francis butt in, giving his adopted son a look.

"Nope!"

"Arthur, my love, you are closer to him. Can you smack him for me?" The Brit nodded and punched his son in the arm.

"Hey! That was cruel!"

"But justified."

The Dane turned to Nikolas slowly. "Hey Niko? Do you ever wonder how the heck these people are our friends?"

"Constantly."

"Not my fault!" Alfred yelled.

Arthur sighed softly. "Please just behave. Honestly Alfred."

"Sorry dad."

"Does he listen only to you?"

"Nope! Dad just is better with making me feel bad."

The Dane caught the youngest prince's attention. "Erik, I just want you to remember something while we're here, no one here will ever be able to send you away or take you away from Nik and me. You'll both be safe. They won't turn you over to your father."

Erik nodded slowly and a clang of Mathias's armor as he got back on his horse shut everyone's bickering up. "Okay, let  _me_  do the talking. Please." Mathias didn't want to risk that possibly they could be kicked out because of something they said.

The guard standing at the drawbridge looked bored. "Who goes there?"

Mathias stood tall in his saddle. "I am Lord Mathias Daniel Kohler of Denmark; this is Prince Nikolas Lukas Bondevik of the Norwegian kingdom, Prince Erik Emil Bondevik of the Icelandic people, Prince Kaoru Li-Xiao Wang of the Eastern kingdoms, Captain Alfred Frederik Jones, brother of Matthew Williams, Francis Jacque Bonnefoy, Arthur Alexander Kirkland, Matthew's parents and our attendant Feliks Jacek Lukasiewicz."


	24. Knight and Ally

The group was quickly led inside and their horses were taken into the stables, the bags they had brought were sure to make their ways to the rooms set aside for them. Mathias strode alongside the Prussian king-to-be, smiling at the sight of his 'little brother' in such high spirits. "So what have you guys been doing all this time?"

Gilbert chuckled, nudging his fiance as they walked. "Where to begin Mat? We've been meeting with my parents, I've been driving West insane, Mattie has been learning how to be an even awesomer queen and then planning the rest of the wedding. That's the appropriate events anyways."

Mattie's face went completely red, even coloring his ears a bit, his hand going out and smacking his lover in the chest. "Gil!" The group got a long tour of the castle, eventually ending at a long open wing, large doors on either side.

"And your awesome rooms are all here." His hand flourished to the left, indicating the westward hall.

The Englishman nodded, grateful for the end of the tour, as lovely as the castle was, they were all tired and ready to get some well deserved rest in an actual bed. "Oh good. Where are your rooms?"

Mattie smiled, gesturing back with his head. "On the other side of the estate in the royal apartments. This is the guest wing."

Gil pointed out rooms for each grouping, one room for the blonde's parents, one for the Nordic lovers and one for the youngest princes. When each pair strode into their rooms they found their bags. With the knowledge that they were finally safe and comfortable, almost all of the travelers promptly fell into a heavy, blissful sleep.

***Awesome Transition***

In the morning, the little Icelander awoke to find the other bed empty and went off in the search for either his friend or the soon-to-be queen. Speaking to a guard yielded the result of finding Matthew in the great hall. "Mattie?" The aforementioned man looked up from his hot tea and smiled gently when his eyes landed on Erik. "When could we talk?"

Mattie gestured him over and poured him a cup of the younger's favorite tea. "We can go talk right now if you wish." He handed the mug to the boy and stood, wrapping an arm around his shoulders comfortingly. "I'm always available. Day or night." Erik nodded and let the other lead him to the gardens they had walked through a small amount of before. In the chill of the morning air, he found himself grateful that the other had thought to make sure he had a warm drink to keep him protected from the cold. "So what happened?"

Erik took a deep breath, staring into his mug. "I- My father banished Nikolas and his Knight when he found out they were in love. I would still be there but- Mathias rescued me."

The blonde looked horrified. "What- did your father have you- I mean, did he hurt you?"

"He slapped me once... and I was confined to my room."

"Was that before or after he banished your brother?"

"After." Erik started to tear up and shoved his face into the older's chest as he hugged him, not wanting to have his crying be seen by anyone.

Matthew stroked his back, holding him tight. "You deserve so much more. I'm so glad that you have your brother... and Mathias as well. They are your true family. As am I Erik."

Erik shook, no longer able to hold back the sobs wracking through him. He hadn't had the chance to work through anything since they left the castle and being in the familiar embrace of his friend let him melt. He was finally able to let it all out without fear of being judged. "I- I just want to go home! But I dont have one! I know it's not always a place but- but-"

"I know Erik." And he did. Matthew thought back to his little house in the woods and had to swallow down the longing that remained for that life.

"I don't want to run anymore. I- I don't even know who to trust.."

Mattie petted the young boy's hair. "Trust in your own intuition. You know what feels right and what doesn't."

"But what about Kaoru? I just trusted him without thinking!"

The blonde smiled softly at Erik. "That's how it was for me and Gilbert. I felt safe around him but he terrified me at the same time. You shouldn't be wary of someone that so easily gains your trust. I wish I hadn't waited as long to let him in. You don't have to make my mistakes too."

Erik nodded and spotted the boy they spoke of across a few rows of flowers and courtyards.

Kaoru rolled his eyes at the Prussian next to him. "And you're not very good at convincing me that I should even _want_  you on my side."

"Look kid, I'm going to be king here. There's a lot I can do to help. I can either make things better for you or even worse than they already are."

The Eastern prince sighed. "Why do you even want to help?"

"Because it'd be awesome to hook him up with someone!"

Kaoru resisted the urge to roll his eyes again at Gilbert, remembering his most recent lecture from his tutor being about his attitude towards other nobles. "His brother and the knight seem to have a very different opinion."

Gil shrugged, he didn't care about that, Erik needed fun in his life and Kaoru seemed like fun. "That's their problem."

"So what you're saying is, you approve?"

Gil nodded, nudging the kid's arm. "You don't seem so bad. You just need the right allies is all."

"And that's you?" Gilbert nodded enthusiastically. "Then what do you want in return?" Everyone has an ulterior motive. Especially in royal courts.

"The awesome me will have a few strings pulled here and there during your stay. All you have to do is trust me. As for payment, we'll start by you admitting that I am the most awesome prince ever." A smirk played across those pale lips.

Kaoru glared a little. He hated smirks when they weren't his own. But he took a breath, put on his straightest face and said in the most deadpan voice he could muster. "You are the most awesome prince ever."

Gilbert laughed, a rumble in his chest. "We'll work on that later."

They walked around a corner and came up to the little Icelander and the queen-to-be and Matthew stood, smiling at their approach. "How about we switch." Gilbert grinned and gently pushed the Easterner towards his friend and wrapped his arm around his lover leading him away.

"So Mattie," He started as they walked away from the young couple. "The kid have anything interesting to share?"

The blonde nudged his lover, smiling like he held a million secrets in his head. "Nothing that  _I_  am going to share."

"Why ever not my beautiful queen?"

"I promised not to tell."

"Can you answer one question about it then? Just yes or no?"

"I guess we'll see~."

"Did the other kid ever come up, Kaoru?" Matthew just smiled, leaning against his king. Gilbert grinned, this would be good. "Awesome. Did he mention his birthday was coming up in a week?"

"In fact he did."

"Want to give him the most awesome present ever?"


	25. Knight and Birthday Boy

In the morning Nikolas sought out the Frenchman, having heard the man was quite an excellent cook. When he spotted Francis he tapped him on the shoulder and asked what he had been thinking all day. "How good are you with making cakes?"

Francis chuckled good-naturedly, "Good morning to you too Prince Nikolas, I slept fine as well. What do you need a cake for?"

Nik didn't bother getting ruffled about the minor chastising that he had just been given, choosing to focus on what mattered. "I need you to make one for my brother's birthday today."

"It is Erik's birthday? I would love to make his cake!"

"Good. I need it to be a surprise too."

Francis bobbed his head in acknowledgment, "Will do! Don't tell Arthur, he cannot keep a secret to save his life." He gestured his head towards the opening to the dining hall at the Englishman who was walking in.

"What secret can't I keep?"

"Any secret mon cheri."

Nikolas managed to escape in the few seconds the men were distracted and joined his little brother who had just sat down at the table for breakfast. As they started their own soft conversation about rooms and how they had slept, the soon-to-be married couple walked in, arm in arm. "Good morning everyone! The awesome future king and queen are here!"

Many of the guests in the room chuckled at this, others were so used to it that they didn't even look up but Matthew pulled his lover long, not wanting to be the center of attention.

Kaoru walked into the room soon after and when he sat next to the Icelander, Erik shot out of his seat, going immediately to Mattie, tugging on his sleeve. The queen-to-be saw the look on his face and wrapped an arm around him, leading him to his room.

Nikolas and Mathias watched the boy then glared at the Eastern prince. "Kaoru! What did you do?"

Nik stood, about to grab the boy and shake him. "What. Did. You. Do?"

The younger prince shrunk back, leaning towards his tutor and the Frenchman. "I didn't do  _anything_! He's been like that all morning!"

The Norwegian took a step towards him. " _You_  were the only one with him! You had to have done something!"

Arthur sighed and came to his charge's side, putting his hands on the Asian boy's shoulders. "Kaoru isn't one who would just hurt someone." He kept his voice low, not wanting to escalate things.

Kaoru glared at the other prince, gaining some confidence with the kind voice behind him. "I've said it before and I'll say it again. I. Haven't. Done.  _Anything_." When the two boys had awoken that morning Erik had been quiet and distant, Kaoru had tried to ask him about it but the boy left before Kaoru could get to anything serious. "I woke up this morning, he wouldn't look at me, he ran off and I found him here. That's all."

Luckily for all involved, Matthew was a bit better at getting the little Icelander to talk to him. "What's on your mind then?"

Erik knew that the blonde was worried for him and couldn't help but blurt it all out, as disorganized as it was. "Kaoru...and...I don't know."

"What are you feeling?"

"Nervous...and embarrassed...and...strange."

"About him?"

Erik shifted from foot to foot, unable to sit down and not squirm. "It's just when I'm around Kaoru." Mattie nodded, prompting him to go on. "I don't know why and I don't know what to do."

"What about being around Kaoru makes you feel strange, and nervous and embarrassed?" Matthew had a few ideas and was smiling gently.

Erik didn't even notice, his head full of his friend. "I don't know just being near him! And...and this morning he...he had his arms wrapped around me in his sleep and I didn't feel right. It happens when he touches me or teases me or smiles. It wasn't as bad before either. Maybe I'm getting sick."

The blonde man chuckled at his little companion. "What does it feel like? Flutters in your stomach? Warm cheeks and maybe ears? Sweaty palms?" Erik nodded furiously, relieved that the other seemed to understand. "There's nothing wrong with you."

Erik's eyes went wide, if there wasn't anything wrong with him then why was he feeling so weird? Was he allergic to something Kaoru had? "Then what is it?"

"Erik was there anyone you've ever met that you've had a crush on before?" The boy shook his head. "That's what this is, that's what all those signs mean."

The little Icelander paused, taking a deep breath. "So what do I do now?"

"You can either tell him or ignore it and regret not knowing what he feels for you."

"Do you think he likes me back?" Mattie smiled gently, nodding at him. "Really?"

"Really Erik. The way he looks at you, the way he acts around you. He's like a love struck puppy."

Erik shook his head, both wanting it to be true and too embarrassed to want it. "I don't see it."

Matthew put his arm around the younger again, giving him a little side hug. "You weren't looking for it." Erik turned almost immediately, hugging his friend tight. Mattie was a little surprised but returned it full heartedly, having an idea of what the boy felt.

"Matthew? How do I tell my brother...?"

The blonde sighed, pulling away to look the Icelander in the eyes. "Well that's always a bit trickier, you could do what I do and just ignore his disapproval, you could do what Nikolas does and try to prove that he is worth it, you could try to stay away from Kaoru, or you can keep your relationship a secret." Erik looked quite perplexed at the ideas. "I promise that whatever happens I'll be on your side." The boy looked up at him again and Mattie smiled gently, taking his hand to lead him to a new place.

It was out in the gardens but only took a few minutes to get to. A grove, hidden in the twists and turns of the garden maze, the flowers all wild, the grass unkempt, surrounded by trees and rose bushes. "Here.  _This_  is my favorite place. Whenever I come here... I almost expect to find a fairy or a satyr." It reminded him of what he used to have back in the forest, the quiet, the solitude, the nature.

**Awesome Transition**

Back in the dining room a certain Prussian came up behind Kaoru and slung an arm over his shoulders. "Hey kid. You need to stay here."

Kaoru barely managed to resist rolling his eyes, "Great. More time with the awesomest prince alive."

Gilbert laughed. "Well a little birdie told me today is Erik's birthday. How does a private dinner party in the gardens sound?"

The younger looked up sharply, not having expected that to come out of the man's mouth. "Like a good idea."

"Awesome. Mattie and I'll take care of Mat and Nik so your only concern is to be out there on time and make sure he has a good time."

"I can do that." The young prince was nearly ready to hug the older and that was saying something for someone who didn't like physical contact.

"You have an awesome gift for him?" Kaoru nodded, he had found something on their trip and was looking for an opportunity to give it to the Icelander. "Any special requests for tonight?"

"His favorite thing is licorice. If it's possible, his birthday cake should be that flavor. And he likes fish."

"I'll see what I can do kid." The Prussian smiled genuinely at his companion, ruffling his hair. "And you seriously have no idea why he's acting up? I mean he even kidnapped Mattie."

"Not a clue. I mean, I woke up this morning and he was blushing like crazy and pulling away from me at top speed."

That smile turned into a mischievous grin. "What were you doing? Using him as your personal pillow?"

"I always hug a pillow in my sleep. Last night it was him." Kaoru shrugged. "It's happened before. And he's used me as one. But he's never minded before."

"Oh really? Sounds like we're in luck then."

Kaoru smiled a little, the first smile Gil had seen on his face since the group had arrived at his castle. "Oh yeah?"

"Now tonight  _has_  to be awesome." The Easterner nodded. "You know, if you don't mess up, this would be a perfect opportunity to get him to be yours."

Again a nod. "It is."

"You going to take him with when you go home?"

A pause from the boy. "I hope I can. My family will approve, but I don't think his will."


	26. Knight and Present

Gilbert was stalking up and down the halls of his castle, bugging servants to see if the first couple he had matched were around, he needed to get them out of the way if he was ever going to be able to get the kids together. Finally he spotted them, talking about the cake they had requested from Francis. "What are you two somewhat awesome people doing?"

The Dane chuckled at the man, gesturing to the pad of paper in Nikolas's hands, filled with ideas. "Planning a party for Erik."

"Do you have a location yet?" Nik shook his head. "I have the perfect place! Follow the awesome me."

The Norwegian sighed and followed him, Mathias right on his heels. "And what makes this room perfect?"

The Prussian just laughed and gestured for them to keep going. He managed to get them into an off hallway of the guest quarters and the two had to wonder what could possibly be down here that would be good for a birthday party. Gilbert shoved a door open and gestured for the two of them to go in. "Here we are!"

Mathias walked in first, looking around at what appeared to be a bedroom, Nikolas followed him, even more confused by the surroundings than his counterpart. That was until the door slammed shut behind them and the click of a lock was heard. "Oops! My hand slipped!" Not again!

"Gilbert. What is going on?" Nik glared at the door, hating that he had been tricked into this not once but twice.

There was a laugh from the other side of the door and Mat banged his fist on it with as much force as he could muster. "You jerk! We're working on Erik's birthday!"

"Sorry Mat! I'm sure you and your prince need alone time anyways."

The knight yelled some more at the door but the man outside was gone. Mathias sighed and turned back to his lover. "He needs to stop locking us in rooms."

Gilbert met up with his own lover in the kitchen, the blonde was making sure that the picnic was perfect for the two boys, wanting to make up for all those bad birthdays. "They're locked up."

Mattie smiled softly. "Perfect."

"Looks like you have everything else ready too. This better work." Gilbert kissed the man's cheek.

"You remember how to get to the grove?" Gil nodded. "Then it should all work out." His lover chuckled, thinking about how it was his plan so it must be awesome. "Did you tell Kaoru the plan?"

"Of course. The kid owes me for this." Mattie shoved his shoulder playfully and waved him off, the almost-king getting in the way. "Well! I'm off to go get him then."

Matthew nodded and followed him out. "And I'm off to get Erik."

Gilbert found his prince in one of the many courtyards, meditating. Which, upon the Prussian's entrance, he promptly gave up on. "You ready kid?" The easterner nodded and stood. "Awesome. This way then."

Mattie knocked on the open door to Erik's room. "Would you like to take a walk with me?"

Erik looked up and nodded, pushing off of the bed and going to his friend's side. "I was thinking we could go to the grove again." The boy trusted that and was happy to follow him. "Have you thought about what you want for your birthday?"

"No.."

"I was thinking that tonight, that party that Nikolas was planning, we should bail." The Icelander looked at him surprised. "I think something smaller would be better for you. I know you don't like big stuff. So Gil and I set something different up, I hope you don't mind." They walked into the clearing where Kaoru was waiting.

Mattie walked away, leaving the two alone. Erik was frozen in the entranceway. "What are you doing here?"

Kaoru smiled softly at the other, gesturing for him to join the Eastern prince in the grove. "What else? Time nearly alone to be yourself and to avoid the judgmental eyes of your bodyguards is your present from 'Princess' Mathieu. I personally am your present from Prince Gilbert."

A blush sprouted on Erik's cheeks. "A person can't be a present unless they're a servant."

"I am yours for the night." He bowed deeply at his friend, hopefully soon to be more. "Consider me your personal servant, I am here for you and you alone." The Icelander slowly walked in, being met a couple steps later by the other prince, a prince who went down on one knee, took Erik's hand and kissed the top of it, grinning devilishly at the other. "My prince, whatever do you wish for?"

Erik pulled his hand away quickly, blush going all the way to his ears. "Nothing!"

Kaoru stood again and held out a chair at a table that Erik hadn't seen before. It was simple but sweet, candles all around and a small cart with covered trays. "Are you hungry?"

Erik nodded and quickly sat down. "Thank you." As Kaoru poured the sweet juice into their cups. "Why do you like me?"

"Because you aren't yet another cookie-cutter clone, spoiled brat of a prince. You're your own person." One of the platters was placed in front of him, a delicious smelling plate of fish and vegetables and then Kaoru sat across from him with his own plate. Eating relaxed Erik some, happy to be happy and Kaoru was the one to break the comfortable silence. "I'll have to thank Mathieu for the dinner."

Erik smiled a little. "Anything is better than Nikolas's food."

The boy across from him snorted. "I disagree. You've never had Arthur's food." The white haired boy rolled his eyes in disbelief. "Putting vinegar on it makes it taste  _better_."

That managed to get a laugh out of Erik.

After their plates were empty Kaoru put them back on the cart and a white and red cake was exposed. "Would you care for some cake?"

The younger's eyes went wide, nodding at the sight, with his first bite he sat up straight, not having expected the taste. "Licorice?" His Asian friend laughed softly and nodded, watching the boy tuck in to his cake like it would be his last. He had nearly gobbled it entirely by the time Kaoru sat down with his own slice. It was then with a blush that he slowed to a normal pace, glad to see that he had the option to eat the entire rest of the cake.

Finishing his third piece of cake was where he drew the limit. "This has been nice."

The older of the two stood and offered his hand, knowing that Erik thought this was it. "There's more." The Icelander took it hesitantly, not knowing what to expect when the other boy led him away from the table a few paces. "Close your eyes." Kaoru's voice was soft, clear, almost gentle in the way it went through Erik's ears. He couldn't help but do as he was asked.

A few clinks and the sound of a chain came through the soft hum of evening life. "What are you doing?"

"You'll see." Arms went around his neck and a weight was left behind when they pulled away.

"What is this?"

"Open your eyes."

Erik's eyes fluttered open, blushing at how close the other was to him. His hands went to the object around his neck and he pulled it up to look at it. It was a pendant, a light blue crystalline rock with a small flower carved into it, a flower that Erik remembered used to grow next to his window in his room back in Iceland. "Where did you get this?"

"I made it."

The boy's eyes went wide in surprise. "I-" He hesitated. "Thank you." He gave his friend a hug, tight and then pulled away, cheeks red, violet eyes downcast.

"You're welcome." There was a smile on Kaoru's face. It was nervous, something Erik hadn't often seen in the other boy's eyes. "Close your eyes one more time."

Erik was confused but he did as he was told, feeling a hand on his cheek then the soft and unfamiliar feel of breath on his face. He froze, not wanting to mess up his first kiss, he felt Kaoru's soft lips press against his. It was different from how he thought it would feel.

There were sparks. When Nikolas had told him how his first kiss with the knight had told him just how much he belonged in those arms. Erik finally understood what he meant. "Was that okay?"

The younger was red from his neck to the tops of his ears. "Why did you do that?" He couldn't meet Kaoru's eyes.

Luckily Kaoru was too embarrassed to look the other in the eye just the same. "I like you a lot."

Erik took a deep breath and let it out with a shudder. "I like you too."

The Easterner took his hand carefully and squeezed it, smiling and a dusting of red across his own cheeks. Erik was the one to break the silence this time. "What are we going to do about Nikolas and his knight?"

"Gilbert said he and Matthew would be willing to vouch for us. How much does your brother disapprove?"

Erik sighed and held the other's hand tighter. "Enough, but they don't get to make the choice though anyways." Kaoru nodded, that smile still there at the way the Icelander approached it. "Kaoru? Could...could you...do  _that_  again?"

At first he was confused but when he saw the way Erik fidgeted he got it and quickly leaned in to give his new boyfriend another kiss.

The two spent the rest of the night together, shyly trading kisses and cuddling under the stars until they were almost asleep, barely managing to stay awake to get back to their room, falling asleep in one another's arms.

Matthew peeked into their room and smiled back at his lover, quietly closing the door. "I think it worked."

Gilbert grinned, wrapping an arm around his queen's waist. "Of course it did. Our plan was awesome!"

Mattie laughed softly and leaned against the other. "* Erik is cuddled into Kaoru's arms. It's almost as adorable as when you found the kittens in the stable."


	27. Knight and Big Brother

Gilbert rushed into his bedroom to grab his lover. "Mattie we have a problem." Matthew barely had time to get up before Gil continued. "I let Mat and Nikolas out of that room and they're headed straight for the kids."

Mattie ran.

Nikolas opened the door and cleared his throat loudly, his lover standing behind him looking threatening. Both of the boys woke up slowly but when they realized who was waiting for them, they sat up quickly. To be fair there was nothing to be worried about, each boy was completely dressed and neither looked ruffled from anything other than sleep but Nikolas wasn't willing to see reason just yet. "Start talking."

Kaoru couldn't help but be snarky. "I would say that we are together now. What do you think?" Erik nodded, leaning against his boyfriend for support.

Nikolas glared. "I don't like it."

Erik sat up a little straighter, his voice soft and still heavy with sleep but firm. "No one asked you."

Mathias's eyes went wide, never having seen the boy this defiant before but it only made Nikolas madder. "You shouldn't be speaking like that to me either."

Kaoru shook his head, glaring back. " _You_  shouldn't talk to  _him_  like that. It's his choice. The more you try to control him the more you become like your father."

Matthew pushed past the others and got into the room, pulling the Prussian in behind him as Nikolas took a step forward, eyes blazing. "I will never be like him."

"All of you calm yourselves." Matthew got in between the two couples. "Gilbert take Kaoru to Dad. Mat," He took the younger's hand and took him off the bed, turning to Mathias and Nik. "You and Nikolas should cool down."

Erik curled into his friend's arms and let himself be led to a private area and Gil gestured to the other young prince. "Come on kid." Kaoru wouldn't look anyone in the eyes but followed the king to be quickly out of the room, knowing that Nikolas was glaring the whole time.

As soon as they were out of earshot Kaoru's soft voice was heard. "Are you mad at me too?"

Gil sighed and shook his head, patting the boy's back comfortingly. "Well you could have handled that better but not really. You were protecting the kid." Kaoru looked away, feeling guilty. "He's not your enemy Kaoru. He's just trying to look out for his brother and pissing him off is not the most awesome idea you've had."

"He was making Erik upset. It just came out… He hates me."

"I wouldn't say that. You just haven't given him an awesome reason to like you. It may suck, but try apologizing and telling him why you acted the way you did. I'm not saying you have to mean it, but a little sucking up to him couldn't hurt."

They walked slowly into the tea room where they were always likely to find the Englishman. "Good morning you two." And there he was.

Kaoru looked down at his feet and Arthur knew something was wrong. "Kaoru? What did you do?"

Gil squeezed the boy's shoulder. "Try seducing a certain little prince and pissing off his brother."

A sigh came from the man and he walked over to his charge, putting hands on his shoulders. "You may leave Gilbert. Kaoru and I have a few things to discuss." He was led to a seat as Gil left and Arthur sat across from him. "Do you want any tea?" Well, he did, but he couldn't speak. The Englishman seemed to know better and served it for him. "Now tell me what happened."

"I- I messed up." Arthur stayed quiet, waiting for him to continue. "I spent the night with Erik and his brother found out he was upset, I lashed out."

"I thought I taught you better." It wasn't scolding, it was more like a statement of fact. "I understand how you feel, but you can't protect Erik from every little thing that comes up especially when it comes to family. Considering what they have been through, it's natural for Nikolas to be very protective of his brother and if you try to simply force your way in and take his place, he will take it as a threat and push you back out. It's something that can only happen gradually if you want him to accept you." Kaoru nodded a few times, knowing his tutor was right. "Now you'll have to apologize. Agreed?"

There was a slight hesitation but the answer still came. "Agreed."

Arthur managed to prompt some details out of Kaoru, talking about what they had done the night before. "You chose well Kaoru. I only hope it can continue when we leave."

The Easterner looked up sharply from his teacup. "When do we have to leave? Please tell me it's not soon. **"**

If only that were the case. "Three days after the wedding. It's been arranged for you to return home before your next trip."

The boy's head fell into his hands. "He's gonna hate me."

"I am sorry Kaoru, but there is nothing to be done." The prince caught the Englishman's green eyes with a plea. "It is too late to send a letter to your parents and extend your stay. Your best chance is by persuading Nikolas to let him come with you, but unfortunately you have this morning's behavior against you. I would start considering how to say your goodbyes, should he say no. I know that's not what you want to hear, but the reality of it cannot be changed."

"By the time I see him next he'll hate me. He hates people who leave him."

"Don't be so narrow minded. If you recall, at one point my son was traveling with him and had to leave, but Erik clearly does not hate him."

Kaoru sunk back in his seat. "Yet."

Arthur gave him a stern look. "Proper gentlemen do not sulk." His stern words got the boy back into an upright position. "Stay here til you are ready, then you should go talk with Nikolas."

"I'm ready now." He had had the time to calm down.

"If you are certain. Remember, you need to show you are not a threat. Keep calm and think before you speak." The prince nodded. "Good luck then. I look forward to hearing how it went."

Kaoru stood and made his way to the Norwegian's room, taking a deep breath before knocking. With an assent of a call that it was alright he opened it and took one step inside, seeing the knight on the bed and Nikolas with his head in his hands. "Prince Nikolas? Can we talk?" Mathias immediately left.

Those eyes were still full of anger towards the younger. "I suppose."

"I wish to apologize for my rash words earlier. It was wrong of me to say such things." Nikolas certainly hadn't expected that. He hadn't figured that the boy was mature enough to admit it. "I never should have pulled such personal information into it either. And I should have asked you about pursuing Erik before I began."

Nikolas nodded, glad to see that at least Kaoru was able to recognize his faults. "Unfortunately it is too late for that."

"A little. But I still wish to have your approval if only in acceptance."

"And why should I give you that?"

"Because my feelings for Erik are genuine and he truly likes me as well and because you know this will cause a rift between you and your brother if you can't."

"What happens between me and my brother is not your concern. He is my responsibility and if I don't trust you with him then you will not be together."

Kaoru had to steady himself before speaking again. "Actually it  _is_  my concern because  _he_  is my concern. And as you should very well know, you can't stop us."

Nikolas raised a single eyebrow. "And what happens when you leave?"

"I had hoped he could come with me. He has expressed an inclination to do so."

The Norwegian prince shook his head once. "No. I'm not saying this just because it's you, but because I was separated from my brother for a little more than ten years. I just got him back and I don't want him out of my life again so soon."

The younger nodded, having thought of that. "I understand that but my invitation was not only extended to him but to you and the knight as well."

Again the older shook his blonde head. "I don't want to travel anymore. I'm done feeling like I'm always running from somewhere or something. Mathias and I want to settle down too and that does not mean staying in your kingdom for an untold amount of time. If my brother truly does have feelings for you then they could still be here if and when you return."

Kaoru was getting frustrated now. "And what if I can't return? What if my only shot is these last few days and I never get to see him again? What if I  _am_  able to come back but he no longer likes anything about me? What if I'm able to return but he hates me?"

"Then you were not meant to be. If you are able to prove that you will not hurt him then I will approve, but only on a few conditions. You get one chance and the moment I decide you are no longer fit for him, you will leave. I will not take the fall for when you return home and that burden is yours. You will not touch him until he is of age and if you did last night, the deal is off. You will not force him to do anything he doesn't want to. You will understand that he is still my responsibility to protect and that responsibility will be shared by you in a proper sense. You will not go behind his back and share your love with anyone else. And you must take care of him. He is my only brother and I expect the best for him."

"I agree to all of those terms."

**Awesome Transition**

"Erik?"

The Icelander rushed over at the sound of his boyfriend's voice. "Kaoru!"

"I talked with Nikolas... He approves."

Erik frowned. "Then why aren't you happy?"

Kaoru locked eyes with him, his brown beauties reminding Erik of a puppy he had when he was child. "I learned that I only get to stay for about ten more days. And Nikolas won't allow you to come with me."

The Icelander backed away, shaking head. "What?"


	28. Knight and Broken Bond

Ten days passed in a blur, the wedding came and went without a hitch, the happy couple was soon to be crowned and the carriages were being packed for Kaoru's return to his homeland.

The two young princes were cuddled together on their bed, awake but not wanting to give up on the idea that they could just be sleeping and that Kaoru leaving was all a bad dream. A knock sounded through the room, the voice of a woman, probably a chambermaid was muffled but still audible. "Your highnesses, breakfast will be served momentarily."

"Thank you." But neither boy moved, they just pulled the covers up higher. "I'm not hungry."

"Me either." Erik grabbed his boyfriend's shirt tighter. "Don't go."

"I wish I didn't have to."

Another knock came on the door, the same woman. "Prince Kaoru, your presence had been requested in the dining hall so you may eat before your departure."

"Will you please inform my tutor that I will not be joining him in the dining hall as I am preparing for departure?"

"Of course your highness. Would you prefer if food was delivered to you?"

"No."

It seemed like only a few seconds passed before another voice came through. It was probably much closer to half an hour but the timing didn't matter. "It's time to collect your bags Prince Kaoru. May I come in?"

"One moment please." The brown eyed boy pressed a soft kiss to his boyfriend's lips and pulled away, grabbing cloak quickly and wrapping it around self. "Come in." Servants came in and out of his room, taking his packed clothing and chests. Kaoru paid them no mind, just trying not to let himself break in front of the others.

Erik managed to get into his own day clothes again and walked back to the other prince, wrapping arms around him. Slightly tanned arms surrounded Erik almost immediately while they waited. Eventually Arthur stood in the doorway. "Kaoru, it's time." The older boy looked up, silently awaiting his fate. "I'm sorry, but you need to follow me. Everyone is waiting outside."

With a gulp the easterner glanced back down. "I won't make you watch me leave."

The violet eyed boy shook his head. "I'm coming to say goodbye." They walked out slowly, hand in hand.

Arthur thanked Gilbert, gave his sons tight hugs, and got into the carriage with the Frenchman who had already said his farewells.

Kaoru turned and bowed to the king and queen to be, voice mechanical. "Thank you for allowing me to stay here and you have the congratulations of my whole family and they wish you well." The couple nodded and Kaoru managed to hug his boyfriend as tight as possible, unable to let go. Erik was the same. "I'll be back as soon as I can."

He carefully pulled away and trudged to his carriage, getting in across from his tutor and cook. It took the time to close the door for the tears to finally flow, head down.

Erik couldn't even watch him go, turning and running back into the castle, his older brother on his heels, having prepared for this.

"You'll see him again soon Kaoru."

"Yeah right." He spat. "I'll probably never get to see him again! He's going to reply to the letters I send him for maybe a month then he'll forget all about me! He'll find some nice girl from his own lands and- and he won't give me a second thought."

"You're over thinking things. I'm sure he misses you as much as you miss him already." Kaoru surged forward to hug the man that he had treated as a father for the past few years, crying into his shoulder as Arthur rubbed his back. "Just let it out…"

Back at the castle Nikolas managed to catch his brother as he ran into his room, pulling him into a tight embrace. "I didn't want him to go!" he started slamming his fists on his brother's chest. "Y-you and Matthew have someone but-! But the second I do-!" Erik grabbed handfuls of Nik's shirt, crying harder. "I want Kaoru…"

Nikolas just took it, holding him as tight as he could. "I'm sorry Erik."


	29. Knight and Postmaster

Mathias smiled softly and held out a letter. "Erik, this came for you."

The Icelander snatched it and read the address. "It's from Kaoru."

"Duh. All of them have been. Nearly every single day." Erik ignored this and walked off with the letter in hand, tearing it open as he walked away back into his room, where he often took refuge from everyday life at the new castle in the knight's homeland. Mathias' new castle. It had taken a little while, and it still wasn't done, but they were living in one of the completed wings.

' _Dearest Erik,_

_You'll never guess what happened today. You remember me talking about that ridiculous "shortcut" that Arthur was taking us on? Well it actually worked! We managed to cut four days off of our travel time which means we get to sleep in more and I get to write you longer letters. I know I've said this a thousand times, but I really truly miss you. I miss waking up next to you, I miss that little smile you'd give me, and I miss just being able to see your eyes. I miss everything about you and it tears me to pieces that I have to wait so long to see you next. It hurts. Francis says it's because you were the first person to try and find out who I really am without even meaning to. You disarm me in so many ways but each time is better than the last._

_I wish so much that I could be there, just to watch you read these, maybe you frown at the stupid things I say, maybe you laugh, maybe you smile that little smile..._

_With All the Affections You'll Allow,_

_Kaoru'_

Erik smiled softly.

**'Dear Kaoru,**

**I'm glad the shortcut worked out especially with how strange it seemed to be. It's good that you can get more sleep and I guess write longer letters. Things have been going smoothly here although Nikolas did attempt to ruin the new kitchen with a romantic dinner for the knight, which he claims was just practice. The knight has been able to keep him away from the kitchen since then except when he's there to...supervise. Anyways, I miss you too. I know there are others around my age nearby, but I'd trade them for you without hesitating. It's lonely here, but your letters help. That does not mean you should watch me read them! Ever!**

**...I did smile this time though if you must know.**

**Till Your Next Letter,**

**Erik'**

' _Dearest Erik,_

_We finally made it. I know my last letter said we were farther off but it's been so long I forgot how close it actually is. Oh I wish you could have seen the sight, the sun was just starting to set, right when the sky begins to take on a pinkish-orange hue. Against the deep reds and black of my home, it was magnificent. It was also very odd. I'm so used to the burly, tall people of the west that I forgot how tiny and not blond my people are. I had forgotten so much about my homeland in such a little time. I suppose I have you to blame for that though, distracting me all over the place._

_My family was so happy to see me though. It was unlike any other homecoming I have experienced. Even Kiku, my second oldest brother, was being outwardly emotional towards me. My sisters had grown up and weirdly enough, so had I. You don't think much about how much you've changed until you really look back on your life..._

_I still can't get you out of my head, not even for a moment. Any time I hear someone say something that sounds remotely like Erik I flinch because I know it's not you that arrived. I miss you more than the sun misses the flower in the dead of winter._

_With hope,_

_Kaoru'_

' **Dear Kaoru,**

**It's good to hear you got there safely. I wish it didn't mean you were that far away though. It's not something easy to think about. I'm sure it is beautiful there though if what I've seen and heard is anything to go by. There was actually a merchant that came by recently from the east selling paintings. I think one of them was your castle, but the painting doesn't do it much justice. I want to see the real thing with you. Anyways, of course the change in scenery and people would be a little odd. I don't know what you mean by distracting you though. I understand how your family must feel too since now I'm the one waiting. And you sound** _**too** _ **old now.**

**I guess the only other thing worth mentioning is why this letter was late... I didn't want to tell you, since it's nothing to worry about, but you deserve a reason. I was sick for a few days and I didn't want to write nonsense no matter how bad I felt for not writing... I'm okay now though I promise.**

**I miss you Kaoru,**

**Erik.'**

' _Dearest Erik,_

 _Sick? What kind of sick? Are you sure you're okay? Has the physician seen you and checked to make sure you truly are okay? Though I'm sure anything you would have said would have been pretty amusing, I'm glad you got the rest needed to recover, that is,_ if  _you have truly recovered. I feel awful just thinking about you sitting there in the knight's castle, in the cold, all wrapped up in whatever you can find. I know it's not that cold for you since you're from an even more northern place but I still worry about you and the frosts. I just hope that the construction is finishing up so they can work on insulating the walls and floors._

_We had a feast last night but it was dreary without you there. I think my family noticed because they went to Arthur to ask what was wrong. Francis told them I was love struck and I think he's right._

_Wishing and Praying to See You Soon,_

_Kaoru'_

' **Dear Kaoru,**

**I'm fine. It's just a mild case of the flu and the physician says I'm past the worst of it. There's nothing to worry about. Nikolas did move me to one of the more complete rooms for now though so they can finish mine. You make it sound like I was completely pitiful though. I didn't have a choice in being wrapped up since Nikolas and the knight took care of that. And as for the castle, the construction is still going, but it shouldn't take too much longer. You should have enjoyed the feast, but I wish you were here for our dinners.**

**There's only so much I can talk about with Nikolas and the knight. I guess I can understand what you're feeling too.**

**Hoping You Stay Well,**

**Erik'**

It had been nearly six months since Kaoru had left and Erik was becoming less and less isolated as he became more integrated into the village around the castle, but he still didn't stop writing letters, nor did Kaoru. A new letter arrived nearly every day.

' _Dearest Erik,_

_I am truly and utterly bored. There's nothing to do here anymore. I've resorted to actually paying attention at my lessons! I'm doing more combat training than ever before. Its madness! As you can tell I'm going a little stir-crazy here, knowing that you're out there, knowing that there's so much to see, so much to do._

_I feel like one of the birds in the menagerie. They get to see the world but from behind bars. It is suffocating._

_I wish so much that you were here. Just to see your face would make everything better. Just to hear you would calm my fraying nerves. Father says that I'm fifteen now and should act like it, but I don't feel any different than I did before. If only I knew how a fifteen year old is supposed to act I'd know what to think. But I don't. I only think of how to get back to you._

_Wishing You Were Here,_

_Kaoru_ '

' **Dear Kaoru,**

**You should be focusing on your lessons anyways. It's not good to slack off especially as a prince. The same is true for combat. The knight's been teaching me too again and I guess it has been going well. I hate to admit it, but I think I'm starting to approve of him more than I did before... He's still as annoying as ever, but it's different when you're isolated with him for so long.**

**Thankfully I can escape to the town often enough. I'm actually starting to get along with those my age better now. They're not as bad as I thought. I still wish they were you, but it's not as lonely in a way. When we were in town I found something I thought fit you so that explains the package. Despite what it seems like, it's not from a set of two meant to be split between couples! They're just (little panda) figures...**

**Don't laugh.**

**I know you are...**

**You better like it okay?**

**Wishing to See You Again,**

**Erik'**

' _Dearest Erik,_

_What kind of things have you been taught? Is he actually being helpful? What's the town like? None of those kids are messing with you are they? I love the panda by the way but you were right I was laughing a little but only because it was so incredibly adorable. You are a terrible liar by the way, even on paper. But it's sweet that you thought to send me this. I send you this in return (little glass nightingale) And I fully admit they are for lovers separated. I hope it's not too silly that you won't keep it. I want to tell you something but I don't want you to lose hope. My parents have decided that I will no longer go out on diplomatic missions. I am not allowed to leave. But I will, when the opportunity arises I will get out and I will come and find you._

_I promise._

_With All of My Heart Sent To You,_

_Kaoru'_

_'_ **Dear Kaoru,**

**It's mostly combat technique, but at least he letting me actually use a sword now. And I guess he's helpful. I don't know a lot when it comes to combat so anything is better than what I had. The town is large, but nowhere near the size of the towns that surround a king's castle. There are a lot of stores though and a few I visit every time I go. One of them is where I found the figures, but that's not important. The kids are fine. You mess with more than they do like by calling me adorable, which I am not.**

**And the nightingale is fine. It's very... sweet.**

**I guess I won't get to see you before my 14th though... It's ok. I'll just have to wait...**

**Forever Yours,**

**Erik'**

' _Dearest Erik,_

_You are the most adorable thing, you can't deny it. I can't even begin to describe all the ways you are adorable without using pages and pages of parchment but I'm going to try. Your eyes, they show all you think but only to those who know how to read them. You're so expressive but it's rare when someone can tell. Your nose is like a little button. Your hair frames your face just perfectly. The colors that you live with fit you best of all. Whites, blue, purples so you are always ready with the perfect balance of contrast. You may not think you stand out in a crowd but all eyes are on you because of your angel-like beauty. My eyes are even straining to gaze upon you from here._

_With Hope, That the Sun Will Rise Again On A Day I Can See You,_

_Kaoru'_

Sometimes the letters were dull, boring, dragging on but just the thought that they were able to keep in touch was enough to read them and keep them in high reverence.

' **Dear Kaoru,**

**It's hard to believe it's been so long since I saw you last and it makes me wonder how much longer it could be. It would be harder without your letters though. The knight once suggested making a model you from the letters, but that would be stupid so I didn't. I'm not that desperate... I wish I could leave myself and come see you, but Nikolas wouldn't allow it. He and the knight have been good to me, but it's obvious a part of them wishes they had more time to themselves and not have to worry if I was nearby. The knight actually asked me for permission to marry Nikolas today. I gave it to him and I don't think I regret it. The past year has shown me how much he loves and respects my brother, but I don't know. I wish I could talk with you directly.**

**The knight told me to write this too, but these are his words.** _**Not** _ **mine: "You better ask Nik's permission before you ask Erik". Stupid knight...**

**Hope to See You Before One Year Becomes Two,**

**Erik'**

' _Dearest Erik,_

_I wish I could see you now. I still can't believe it's been over a year since I had to leave. Have you grown much? I haven't mentioned this but I've grown five inches in the past few months. I can't imagine you any different than how you were when I saw you last. It's so hard to think of how you may have changed. You know how Arthur is always talking about his magical skill? Well I asked him for a magic mirror so I could see you but he just shook his head and said "I tried but there is another powerful will keeping me from doing so". He's a weird guy._

_Speaking of weird guys, Alfred showed up at our palace yesterday. It was very odd. He mentioned something about a strategic, temporary retreat from Russian lands. Why was he even there? Either way I promise that one day, I will make sure your brother is okay with it before I ask you._

_If Only Someday Was Now,_

_Kaoru'_

' **Dear Kaoru,**

**I grew a few inches too, but nothing else has changed. You're not allowed to grow too much taller though. Not until I catch up, which won't take that long, but still.**

**And I'm glad you couldn't use a magic mirror. I don't need you watching me all of the time without my knowing... That'd make you as weird as Arthur and Alfred.**

**To answer your question, he's supposed to be helping Felix rescue his lover from Russia, but I guess he hasn't had much luck. That or he's suddenly become a coward. I doubt that though. However, I know you'll keep your promises enough though there's no reason in making that one about talking to my brother. It's not that important... I mean...you wouldn't need to ask him anytime soon anyways right?**

**I Wish I Had That Magic Mirror,**

**Erik'**

' _Dearest Erik,_

_If I'm not allowed to grow taller then you aren't allowed to get brawny. And if I can't have a magic mirror to spy on you then you... You know what, spy on me all you want, I'll be sure to always look fantastic every second of the day, just for you. And I may not need to ask him soon but I know that one day, when we see each other again, whether it be years from now or months or weeks, I will want to have the thought in mind._

_Forever With You in My Thoughts,_

_Kaoru'_

A year became two but despite the time or the distance, both wrote and wrote, hoping to keep their flame alight.

' **Dear Kaoru,**

**Not a lot happened today, but I can't stop writing I guess. Maybe it's because its habit now or maybe because I know it's you reading this.**

**You haven't shared these letters with anyone right? You better have not... It's hard to believe it's been so long since I've seen you last though.**

**I wish I could remember how you looked more clearly** **with your stupid smirk when you tease me and your soft hair and how warm and safe I felt in your arms and how strong you seem** **.**

**Anyways, how are things with you and your family? Are Francis and Arthur getting along any better yet? It's not like it's that important, but it's worth asking I guess. Nikolas and Mathias are doing well too, but I can tell my brother is getting just a little impatient, waiting for the knight to propose. I don't get why he hasn't done it either. I know he'll wait as long as it takes though and I will too. Until I see you that is.**

**Hope to Hear from You Again Soon,**

**Erik'**

' _Dearest Erik,_

_I miss you so much and I truly wish I could see you now. I dream about you nearly every night but the edges are getting fuzzy. It worries me that I can't see you clearly even there..._

_My family is fine, my oldest brother Yao is preparing to take the throne, Kiku is normal, my sisters are happy with their new husbands. Everything is completely the same._

_And I nearly forgot to mention it, Arthur quit. He finally admitted to Francis that he really loves him and they decided to move to back to France to just love each other and make up for lost time. I'm sure that the knight will propose soon. He's probably nervous._

_Have you really been waiting? I wouldn't blame you if you didn't._

_It's been so long..._

_My Heart Forever in Your Hands,_

_Kaoru'_

Nearly four years had passed with nary a glimpse or flash of the other. Letters still arrived every few days but the hope was dwindling, slowly fading from their hearts.

And eventually the letters stopped being so frequent, running out of things to say.


	30. Knight and Adventurer

A soldier approached the recently built main hall, grinning wide. "Come on out Mat! The hero has arrived!"

Nikolas glanced at his lover, hearing the yelling. "That would be for you."

Mathias laughed and walked to the great hall, seeing his friend and rushing over. "Al!"

"Hey dude! How've you been?"

"Man I've been great! What're you doing here?"

Alfred grinned bigger. He and had just finished helping a couple of damsels in Belgium. They had been stolen from and he retrieved one of the girl's pink sapphire necklace from the robber and then tossed the robber at the local authority. Pretty girl too, they both had been. One blonde, she was the merchant, and the other brunette, who was her partner. They had given him kisses on the cheeks as his reward. He would take no more from them. ""Well I finished one heroic mission and now I'm on to my next!"

"And what's that?"

"Reuniting two kids who need to seriously see each other again." He knew, from his letters with Mattie, who was still close to the youngest prince, that Erik was very lonely in his castle.

This made the Dane ecstatic. "Really?! That's great! Erik's been so sad... I feel terrible that he's been so isolated here... They miss each other so much."

"Dude, you should see Kaoru." At one point he had been tactfully luring the enemy into a false sense of security and hung out in the main eastern kingdom castle. Kaoru was not doing well. "I'm sure he's just as bad as the lil dude if not worse. Where is he anyways?"

"Up in his room, sulking. He always does after he sends off the letter..."

"Well let's go cheer him up!" Mathias grinned and they linked arms, marching up the corridors.

"I think he'll be happy to see you." Honestly, anyone else from the days of traveling around would be a welcome sight for the little Icelander. Of course Mattie and Gil visited often, as did Feliks. Occasionally Arthur and Francis would visit but it wasn't like they days where they were on the run, constantly moving with their little family.

They knocked on Erik's door. "Oh Erik~! The hero's come to save you!"

Erik gingerly opened the door, blinking when he saw the soldier. "What are you doing here?"

"Like I said! I'm going to save you from this place!"

Mat grinned. "If Niko approves, Al's gonna take you to Kaoru."

Erik's eyes widened considerably. "What...? Really?" Al nodded a couple times. "Where's my brother?"

Mat chuckled. "In the library."

Erik pushed past them both and ran down the halls towards the reading rooms. He could see Kaoru! He could see him! After three years! He burst in, doors crashing against the walls.

Nikolas looked up from his book. "Erik? What's-"

"Please! Let me go with him! I may never get this chance again! I need to see him! It's been too long!" His eyes were pleading, begging.

"Calm down and explain what's going on." Nikolas had a vague idea of what was going on but needed to make sure before he agreed.

"Alfred came back and he wants to take me to Kaoru!"

The aforementioned soldier came in, accompanied by the lord of the castle. "It's been three years."

"Please Nikolas! Let me go..." Nik stood slowly, took the few steps towards him and pulled him into a tight hug. "Nikolas?"

He was silent for a few moments. "...I'm going to miss you. It won't be the same without you here."

"...Does that mean...?" Nikolas nodded and Erik hugged him back fiercely, so happy. "Thank you. Thank you!"

"You're welcome. You can leave in the morning." Erik nodded a little, wanting to object and go right then and there but at the same time wanted to be able to spend the night one more time in his own bed. It was scary to think that when he arrived it may not be his bed he slept in anymore. He willed away his blush, now wondering what Kaoru looked like and if he still looked like himself. He was sixteen now. Kaoru was  _nineteen_. The same age Nikolas was when Erik found him.

"You'd better get packed." Erik quickly pulled away and rushed off to do so. "It's going to be different without him here."

Al patted him on the shoulder. "You made the right decision though dude."

"I know."

"He's already so much happier." Mathias grinned.

"It's going to be epic traveling with the lil dude!"

Nikolas gave the soldier a hard look. "You will not take him on any side trips. I want him to get there safely Alfred."

"Don't worry Nik! I have it all handled! Besides I don't think Erik would allow side trips."

Nikolas nodded then thought to back to why Al left in the first place. "I assume you were able to rescue Felik's lover?"

"Yeah. It wasn't easy, but nothing a hero like me can't handle!"

Mat looked him over curiously. "What even happened?"

"You want the pretty and short version or the long one?"

Mat didn't even hesitate. Long would take days to tell. "Short. Definitely short."

Al grinned wide and rubbed his hands together. "Well I guess the easiest part was in getting there. It was so cold though dude! It was insane! No wonder the people there are so uptight... Anyways! Feliks actually had this awesome plan, but when we tried it we ended up getting pretty close to getting caught. We were able to retreat back to the Eastern kingdom to recollect ourselves and heal what battle wounds we had gained though. Unfortunately, there was more security to handle the second try and Toris was hidden way deep in the castle. There was no trying to keep Feliks back though. I've never seen the guy so determined you know? Epic battles ensued until we came upon the boss man and I don't think I've ever had to fight so hard. I have some wicked battle scars from it. We weren't able to kill the king, but I was able to hold him off long enough for Feliks to take his turn at playing hero. Toris wasn't in great shape, but by the end neither were we. I feel bad for the dude though. He's really nice, but more on the shy side. A couple of weeks to heal and then we parted. They headed towards Poland to make a new life for themselves and, well, I came here."

"That's great for them! Oh, and I thought you should know, your dad and Francis, they're together. I mean, together, together.  _Finally_." They had settled down a year or so before. One of the letters from Kaoru had told them the bare details but they had visited since then. "Crazy right? Apparently, they even moved to  _France_. You of all people know how much Artie detests that place."

He shook his head. "Of course I do, but jeez man! It's about time! Even  _I_  knew dad loved papa a lot more than he let on."

Mathias laughed. "Everyone did."

"Wonder what finally changed his mind."

The lord shrugged. "There was something about him finally quitting his job?... Al..? Can you believe it's been years? Can you believe that Erik is sixteen now? He was barely twelve when I met him... You were four! Look at you now! Its insanity... I feel so old."

Nikolas eyed him. "And yet you whine like a child."

Al nodded as if to say 'time flies'. The Dane sighed. "... I can't believe how much we've all changed. I'm a lord with my own castle, Mattie's a queen, you're saving people all over the place, your parents are finally together, Erik's grown up, Niko doesn't ever have to worry about his father, Feliks found his lover, Ber finally asked Tino to marry him... It's crazy."

"I know man. I mean I really haven't changed too much. Maybe eventually I'll find someone like you guys, but for now there's people who still need me."

"You know the moment people start saying 'I'm not looking for love right now' they find it." Mathias grinned.

"We'll see. They'd have to be some pretty epic person."

The Icelander came back. "It's all packed."

Nikolas gave him a look. "That was quick."

"I...Well it's done anyways."

Nik sighed. "Let's go check." And he started towards the younger's room.

"I know how to pack!" But he followed anyways.

Mathias looked to his friend. "Hungry?"

Al nodded. "Sure. So how's it been bein' a lord and all?"

"It's weird. People look up to me..."In a different way than he used to be looked up to. This way was much more respect than admiration. But there was that too.

"Not a bad thing though dude. You're kind of like your own brand of hero."

Mat laughed and punched the other in the arm. "I  _am_  a hero. Have been since I was 17."

Al grinned and rubbed his arm. "You know what I mean."

***Awesome Transition***

"You better still be good to Nikolas after I leave."

"Always and forever Erik."

"Good."

And off the pair went. Riding away into the light of early morning on the way to find Erik's too long parted love.


	31. Knight and Reuniter

As Alfred had been there before it was easy for him to tell when they were getting close, and when it came over the horizon he nudged the young man with a giant grin on his face. "There it is lil dude! We finally reached the castle!"

Upon their approach more and more people noticed the two out of place men. It was easy to tell the difference between them and the locals. Approaching the main entrance was easy, Alfred had been there once before and the guard definitely remembered him.

They dismounted and Erik's eyes searched every face around.

But for Alfred, his eyes went to a man sitting on a bench under a cherry blossom tree, the wind picking up just a little bit and the man he was staring at stood, hearing their horses and turned around, petals falling all around him. His brown eyes locked with Al's baby blues for a few moments. "Whoa..." Al nearly tripped over his own feet. This guy had not been there when he last visited. "Hey...umm I'm Alfred."

The man bowed, his soft hair falling into his face a little. "Hello. I am Kiku. How may I assist you?"

Erik stepped in, seeing that Alfred would be no help. He knew that look. It was how Mathias looked at Nikolas. "We're here to see Prince Kaoru."

Al nodded, not really thinking about that anymore. "Yeah. What the lil dude said, but I wouldn't mind it if you, you know, showed us around the area?"

Kiku motioned to a servant to retrieve the youngest prince. "I shall have my brother join us on a tour then. Where do you come from?"

The blonde was a bit disappointed that it wouldn't be just him and this adorable man but he followed him with Erik by his side. "Denmark. I was living there with my brother."

The prince led them into a calm courtyard where a few tables were set up, all very low to the ground. Kiku motioned for them to sit and settled on his own pillow. "Here is where we conduct greeting ceremonies. Would you care for some tea?"

Alfred was all for it. "Sounds awesome."

But Erik was too antsy. He was here to see Kaoru, not to drink tea! It had taken nearly three months!

From behind him he heard a shout and the sound of running. "Erik!"

Erik spun around and stood, just in time to be hugged and twirled around in the air. "Kaoru!" He hugged the eastern prince back tight, too happy about seeing him to complain.

When they finally pulled away they examined each other carefully. Kaoru had grown, he was a few inches taller than Erik and he was definitely stronger, he had picked Erik up like he was nothing. The older man kissed him deeply, completely ignoring any other people in the vicinity.

Kiku made a motion and had Alfred follow him away to give the boys some privacy.

"I missed you so much Erik."

"I missed you too." They hugged again, feeling like they would never let the other go again. "You did change a little."

"You did too." Kaoru grinned, teasing his lover. "You  _did_  get taller. But not much."

"I still have time to grow!"

Kaoru put his hands on the Icelander's cheeks. "I can't believe you're actually here."

Erik put his own hands over the other's. "Kaoru… do you feel the same?"

The easterner shook his head. "No. I don't." Erik stepped back but he was followed, being pulled back into a passionate kiss. "I know that I love you now."

The Icelander smiled brightly and yanked his lover down into him, pressing his lips to the older man's. "I love you too. Jerk."

"Wanna go visit your rooms?"

Erik raised an eyebrow at him, having perfected it with practice from Nikolas. "My rooms wouldn't happen to also be your rooms would they?"

"If you want them to be I won't object." That damned grin would be the death of him and Erik sighed as he let himself be dragged along, not really upset about getting to spend more time with his lover. Hopefully soon they would actually become lovers. He had just turned seventeen and Kaoru was eighteen. Nikolas had told him everything to expect. Now as mentally scarring as that was, imagining that with his own partner was actually exciting.

While the two young princes shared things they hadn't been able to express in the written word, Alfred was attempting to woo Kaoru's older brother. It wasn't going well.


	32. Knight and Last Words

The letter floated gently back onto the crowded table. "Well, it sounds like Erik is doing just fine."

Nikolas nodded once. "I'm glad they were able to get back together without any problems." He paused. "It's hard to believe it's been so long since I first found him, since before a lot of things." Mathias held him close, kissing the top of his head gently. "This is one of the most important."

The Dane gave him a little look. "Most important? What do you mean?"

"I mean being able to be close to you like this. It has been awhile since I was first able to; since we first confessed in that forest."

Mat nodded a little, thinking back. "It really has been a long time."

"Thankfully Mathieu and Gilbert saw something between us and acted on it. If they hadn't, things might be different."

"I don't even want to think about it." Mathias was smiling though, knowing it would have gone this way no matter what, it was only a matter of time.

Nikolas leaned back in his hold, settling into the familiar warmth of his husband's chest. "I prefer it this way. Together, no more being chased by power hungry kings or my father, and everyone else happily with their significant other."

"Mhmmm~"

Nikolas looked up at the Dane. "Do I want to know what you're thinking about?"

A little smile came upon his face. "You." He kissed Nikolas's cheek softly. "How much I love you."


End file.
